Let me just start by saying this recipe is not a 30-Minute Meal. Nor is it a One Pot Wonder, a Five Ingredient Dinner, a Fix-it-and-Forget-it Dish or any of the other cute little titles dished up daily in magazines, cookbooks, and, um, blogs exactly like this one. This minestrone, which Pilar first introduced me to in 2004, is not cute. It is messy and demanding and complicated. It involves forethought — you must soak the beans overnight. It involves rinsing and draining and mincing and chopping. It involves immersion blenders and strainers and Dutch Ovens and saucepans. And it involves time. A lot of time. The kind of time you once had on a Sunday afternoon before you had kids to shuttle to birthday parties or basketball games or before you started getting roped into marathon sessions of Monopoly. Which, if you are a certain kind of cook, is what makes the resulting freaking crazy delicious soup all the more special. Because yes, you must spend your entire afternoon in the kitchen making it, but…you get to spend your entire afternoon in the kitchen making it.
Tuscan Minestrone
Adapted from The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, Giuliano Bugialli
8 ounces dried cannellini beans
1 slice prosciutto or pancetta (vegetarians: this can be omitted)
1 large red onion, minced
1 celery rib, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup Italian parsley
½ cup olive oil
½ small head Savoy cabbage, chopped
1 ½ bunches kale, cleaned and chopped into small pieces
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into small squares
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained and seeded
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Soak the dried beans overnight in a bowl of cold water. The next day, drain the beans and cook them in a large pot with 2 quarts of salted water and the prosciutto or pancetta. As the beans absorb water, keep adding enough hot water to maintain about 2 quarts of liquid at the end of the cooking time. Cook for one hour, then let sit on stovetop in pot.
Saute onion, celery, garlic, carrot, parsley, salt and pepper in the olive oil in a Dutch Oven or large stockpot for about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, kale, and potato to the stockpot. Then add tomatoes, smushing them with your hands as you drop them in the pot. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, adding a little bean liquid every now and then if it’s looking dry. Then add Swiss chard.
Remove the prosciutto from the beans. Scoop out about 1 cup of beans with a strainer or slotted spoon and set aside. With a handheld mixer, blend the remaining beans in their pot, then pour bean puree into the stockpot with vegetables, stirring to combine. Simmer together for about 15 minutes more until heated through. When you are ready to serve, add the reserved whole beans. Add salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread, freshly grated Parmesan and a healthy drizzle of good quality olive oil.
16 responses so far ↓
1 Chris // Dec 3, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Oh my GOD this looks amazing. I cannot wait for a free afternoon to try this. Because I am exactly the kind of person who loves spending an afternoon in the kitchen cooking something that makes my whole house smell fantastic.
2 Mavi // Dec 3, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I love that last sentence. I love, love, love spending an afternoon in the kitchen whipping up something tasty. What a great blog even tho I don’t have little ones at home. Thanks!
3 MommyLisa // Dec 3, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Can I use a white or yellow onion? Red does NOT agree with me.
4 jenny // Dec 3, 2010 at 2:29 pm
MommyLisa – Yes, of course. This version you’re looking at was made with a yellow (I didn’t have a red) and it was just fine — if slightly less colorful. Enjoy.
5 Kelly // Dec 3, 2010 at 3:44 pm
yum!!
6 ann steinbach // Dec 3, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Really delicious looking soup. I love spending an afternoon making soup.
7 Chloe // Dec 4, 2010 at 11:17 am
How many does this serve? I have to feed 7 adults and two kids this week, and this sounds perfect for a cozy winter meal!
8 Jenny // Dec 4, 2010 at 11:23 am
I’d do about 30% more of everything if you want to serve that number. This is about 4 grown-up portions and 4 kid portions.
9 Dawn // Dec 8, 2010 at 10:06 pm
I made this yesterday and it is fantastic!! Perfect for this icy cold weather!!
10 Karen // Dec 16, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I need a soup for a dinner party next week. I’m looking for recipes I do the day before. Do you think I could make this a day ahead of time and heat to serve to the next day? How do you think the flavor, texture would hold up? Thanks!
11 Jenny // Dec 17, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Karen: Yes, definitely you can make this the day before. I always have so much leftover and freeze it in individual portion baggies. It thaws beautifully and can be tossed with fresh pasta if you don’t feel like having it as soup. But if you are making the soup the day before, I wouldn’t bother freezing. Just reheat. ENJOY!
12 Marylou Spencer // Dec 24, 2010 at 12:52 am
Karen: Yes, definitely you can make this the day before. I always have so much leftover and freeze it in individual portion baggies. It thaws beautifully and can be tossed with fresh pasta if you don’t feel like having it as soup. But if you are making the soup the day before, I wouldn’t bother freezing. Just reheat. ENJOY!
13 Erin Joyce // Jan 10, 2012 at 12:23 am
Wondering about soup quality and freezing. If I can spare an entire day in the kitchen slaving over this amazing looking soup how many servings would I get and should I just double it because I will want it all the time? Also how oes it hold up freezer wise?
Love the advanced recipe search!
14 Jenny // Jan 10, 2012 at 8:37 am
Yes, Erin. It freezes beautifully. Once thawed, it also works beautifully mixed into pasta. I usually have to thin it out if I want to thaw for soup. But yes, totally worth the effort. I think I will make some this weekend myself!
15 Amanda // Feb 28, 2012 at 12:21 pm
I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Baked Better Bread Prize?
And also, I think I’ll definitely be making this soup this weekend. I’ve been longing for a good minestrone and my only wonderful version is based on spring vegetables. You can find that at Elise’s site, Simply Recipes. It’s out. of. this. world.
16 Valerie // Feb 28, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Yum! I am going to try this before it gets too warm to want soup anymore
I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Baked Better Bread Prize?
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