Winter Greens Minestrone Soup

I’ve made versions of this vegetable-rich soup for most of my life, but never had a formal Minestrone recipe until today. Feel free to use more prosciutto, fewer carrots, or even a lonely celery stalk. I often add ditalini or another small pasta. If you have it, a chunk of rind from a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano adds subtle umami to the broth.

The fine mince of the sofrito melts into the soup, giving it complexity. One constant for me is the rough-textured cavolo nero. It is the star in the dish I first ate in Tuscany decades ago. Cavolo nero is now much easier to find in farmers’ markets and well-stocked produce sections.

This minestrone makes a flavorful base for ribollita, the hearty Tuscan dish in which soup is re-boiled with torn bread to create a savory bread pudding. Whether soup or ribollita, it’s perfection when you crave vegetables or simply need a warm hug in a bowl.

Check out some more winter greens recipes here!

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Winter Greens Minestrone Soup

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• Author: Cheryl Alters Jamison
• Yield: Serves 8

Print Recipe

Description

The fine mince of the sofrito melts into the soup, giving it complexity.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the sofrito:

• 1 large carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ small red onion
• 2 oz thin-sliced prosciutto

For the soup:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large carrots, sliced in thin rounds
• 1 bunch cavolo nero or lacinato kale
• 6 to 8 oz green beans, cut in ½- to ¾-inch pieces
• 6 to 8 oz cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2-inch chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, optional
• 15-oz can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 qt (4 cups) low-sodium chicken stock
• 14 ½ to 15-oz can chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Best quality olive oil
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

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Instructions

For the sofrito:

1. Make the sofrito in a food processor, blitzing it into a very fine mixture, just short of pureed.

For the soup:

1. Warm the oil in a stockpot or large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sofrito and cook a couple of minutes until aromatic.
2. Stir in carrots, cavolo nero, green beans, cauliflower, optional cheese rind, tomatoes, and stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are quite tender.
3. Add the beans and cook another 5 minutes. Add water if the mixture is no longer soupy.
4. Ladle into bowls. Drizzle oil over each bowl, and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve hot.

Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Tira Howard

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