Yall probably already know this about me, but I am a HUGE soup girl, and one of my childhood favorites was minestrone soup. Minestrone soup is a hearty Italian vegetable soup that typically contains a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, and beans, and sometimes pasta. Minestrone soup is known for its versatility, as cooks may adjust the ingredients based on seasonal availability or personal preference. It’s often served with grated Parmesan cheese on top and accompanied by crusty bread.
I personally love minestrone soup for the beans! I like to cook the beans from dried beans, which results in a thick soup and flavorful beans. When it comes to cooking dried beans you must soak them overnight. Soaking them in a salt water allows them to soften slightly and also flavors the beans. If you do not soak overnight, they will cook unevenly and also take hours longer to cook. Trust me, it is worth the extra five minutes!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Dried Cannellini Beans – Dried beans are always better for soups. I highly recommend cooking this soup from dried beans. You can also use any white dried bean here like northern beans. If you really don’t want to use dried, use canned beans that have been rinsed and drained.
- Pancetta – It isn’t an Italian soup without pancetta! If you cannot find pancetta you can omit or use bacon.
- Diced Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste – I have tried this recipes with all kinds of tomatoes, I have found that the combination of canned tomato paste and diced tomatoes are the best. You can also use whole canned tomatoes that have been crushed with your hands if you want more quantity of tomatoes in your soup.
- Zucchini and Green Beans – I chose these two vegetables because I love them! You can add any vegetable here that you like, just know that they may cook at different rates.
- Chicken Stock – Make sure to pick a high quality chicken stock or broth that tastes good. You can also use any other stock of choice here!
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SERVINGS: 6-8
- PREP TIME: 20 Mins
- ACTIVE TIME: 1 HR
- TOTAL TIME: 1 Hr 20 Mins
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups dried cannellini beans or white beans of choice
- salt
- ½ cup pancetta, small diced
- Olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 5 garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 zucchini, diced
- ½ lb green beans, thinly sliced
- ½ lemon, juiced
Preparation:
STEP 1.
Dissolve 1 tbsp of salt into 2 quarts of water in a container. Add the beans and soak for 12 hours. The next day, drain the beans and rinse. Set aside.
STEP 2.
In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and saute the pancetta. Cook until it is crispy, stirring frequently. Add the onions, celery and carrots and saute until translucent and cooked through, around 5-10 minutes, salt as you go. Once cooked through, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and coat the vegetable. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until rust in color.
STEP 3.
Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, oregano and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the beans. Bring up to a low simmer and top with a lid. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the beans are tender and the liquid is thickened.
STEP 4.
Add the zucchini and green beans and cook for 10 minutes, until cooked through.
STEP 5.
Finish by stirring in the lemon juice and serve!
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