Does minestrone traditionally contain meat?

Minestrone or minestra translates to a vegetable soup often with beans and/or pasta. There are countless variations of this soup and many of them do contain meat. These soups are often made with whatever vegetables, meats, or leftovers are kicking around in the kitchen.

What makes minestrone minestrone?

Minestrone is a hearty vegetable-based soup with a light tomato broth. It often includes pasta or beans and sometimes meat. It always begins with a traditional Italian soffritto which includes celery, carrot, and onion cooked in olive oil. To this flavor foundation, garlic and herbs are added as well as tomato and sometimes parmesan cheese rind to create the signature minestrone broth.

Is kale bitter in soup?

Some varieties of kale are more bitter than others. I prefer Tuscan kale for soups but common curly kale is very good too. Wash it very well in hot water to remove some of the bitter compounds, remove and discard ribs, and chop or tear leaves into small pieces before adding to soup. It becomes less bitter after cooking in the soup broth.

Hearty Minestrone with Sausage, White Beans, and Kale

Name: Minestrone Soup with Sausage, White Beans, and Kale
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: olive oil; 4 ounces diced pancetta; 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 2 large carrots, peeled and diced; 2 large celery stalks, diced; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary; 2 dry bay leaves; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste); 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (more or less to taste); 2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes; 1-2 Parmesan Cheese Rinds; 8 ounces kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite sized pieces; 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; Parmesan Cheese and Extra Virgin Olive Oil for topping

Ingredients

olive oil
4 ounces diced pancetta
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2 dry bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1-2 Parmesan Cheese Rinds
8 ounces kale, ribs removed and leaves torn into bite sized pieces
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Parmesan Cheese and Extra Virgin Olive Oil for topping

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, cook pancetta with a drizzle of olive oil until it has crisped and released some of its fat. Add Italian sausage to the pot and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon and stirring often, until no longer pink. This will take about 10 minutes.
Remove meats with a slotted spoon and set aside.
If needed, add another drizzle of oil and add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, oregano, and bay leaves to pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often and scraping up the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan, until vegetables are beginning to soften.
Add potatoes, broth, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese rinds. Stir well and cook slightly covered for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add kale and beans and cook for 5-10 minutes until kale is tender and wilted but not mushy. Finally, add reserved sausage and pancetta mixture, stir and heat through.
Serve soup topped with good olive oil and plenty of grated parmesan cheese. A tiny splash of red wine vinegar is delicious too.

Notes

If you feel your soup needs more liquid, add more broth or water to top it off.

To add a bit of acidity, you can add 1/2 cup wine at the end of step 3.

Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: soups and stews
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Italian