This gorgeous meat-free soup is protein-rich thanks to a healthy portion of pulses, but if you have a meaty itch to scratch and don’t want to miss out on these Italian flavours, try this recipe for Chicken Meatball Soup with Tortellini. Honestly, what is more satisfying than using up all the random vegetables and herbs, half empty pasta packets and long-forgotten tins haunting your kitchen? I say, nothing! Try it yourself by ransacking your kitchen and turning what you find into a wholesome, delicious and filling family meal.
What is minestrone soup?
This world-famous Italian soup comes from very humble origins. The minestrone dates back as far as the Romans and until its explosion in popularity in (comparatively) recent history, it was considered a peasant food. It was a frugal way of making the most of seasonal grains, pulses and vegetables and rarely contained meat. Like my Tuscan chickpea soup or bright and fresh Spring Minestrone Soup, this is an example of cucina povera, a kind of cooking movement that literally means ‘poor kitchen’ or ‘kitchen of the poor’, the recipe and many others from that style, aims to ensure nothing of what is available is wasted. The result is a delicious, varied, adaptable and nutritious one-pot meal. It’s no wonder the recipe has survived for centuries!
Substitutions and variations
To be a true minestrone recipe, the soup should contain pasta, legumes, tomato, vegetables and parmesan cheese. But within those hearty and nourishing confines; anything goes. There really is no set recipe as in the days before refrigeration it depended on seasonality and locality. A trend we’re seeing a resurgence in today. My recipe consists of small pasta, borlotti beans, green beans, butternut squash, zucchini and Tuscan kale. Today! But on another day, it might be the remaining fusilli pasta bashed into bits to make small pasta, cannellini beans, spinach, broad beans and potato. The beauty of it is that it can be tweaked and tailored to your own tastes and available ingredients. Although it’s usually a vegetarian recipe, go ahead and throw in a bit of meat if it suits you. Bacon, pancetta, even spicy chorizo. Or if you’re feeling adventurous and a bit peasant-y, sweetbreads (look it up!).
Storage and leftovers
If, in the true spirit of cucina povera, you find you have cleared the fridge and cupboards of all the odds and ends and now have a vat of minestrone soup large enough to feed a small Italian village, freeze it. It will keep in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top. Make sure it has come to the boil and then simmered before serving. Leftovers on the day can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. The pasta will probably absorb some of the liquid while in the fridge (or freezer) so add a couple of splashes of water if you want more of a soup and a less of a stew.
More hearty soup recipes
Beef Cabbage Soup Potato and Sausage Chowder Borscht Corn Chowder
