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Minestrone Milanese with rice or pasta.
5 from 12 votes

Minestrone Milanese with rice or pasta.

Minestrone Milanese is a thick, hearty Italian vegetable soup featuring a mixture of fresh vegetables, beans, and either rice or orzo pasta. The soup is enriched with guanciale, an Italian cured pork, sautéed with aromatics, creating a savory base. Fresh herbs like sage, parsley, and basil add fragrance, and the soup is finished with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and olive oil for flavor depth.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 6
Calories: 463 kcal
Course: Main Course, Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian

Ingredients

  • 2-3 carrot washed and chopped
  • 2 potato peeled and cut into cubes
  • ½ onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ cabbage sliced, small or savoy
  • 1 large tomato peeled and cut into piece (or small tomatoes or 2 tablespoons passata)
  • 2 zucchini washed and cut into small pieces.
  • 3.5 ounces pea fresh or frozen
  • 2-3 sage leaves
  • 1 handful parsley washed and chopped, fresh
  • 4-6 basil fresh leaves
  • 1-2 celery washed and cut into small pieces, green stalks with leaves
  • 3.5 ounces Guanciale cut into small pieces (or pancetta or lardo)
  • 7 ounces borlotti beans soaked overnight or fresh beans. Canned beans should be drained and added later, dried or cannellini beans
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces parmigiano reggiano freshly grated
  • 3.5 ounces risotto rice or orzo (risoni) pasta

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients
    Cup of Yum
  1. First, if using a large fresh tomato, peel it after immersing it in boiling water, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Wash the zucchini and carrots and cut them into small pieces or cubes.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes too. Wash and slice the cabbage.
  2. Cut the guanciale (or lardo) into small pieces along with the celery. Peel and chop the onion and garlic finely. Wash and cut the celery and some of its leaves into small pieces.
  3. Put the lardo or guanciale into a food processor, add the onion and the garlic, plus a sprig of parsley and a stick of chopped celery. Blend until you have something close to a paste (see photo in main content). This is called a 'battuto'.
Cook the minestrone Milanese
  1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a deep soup pan or Dutch oven. Add the lardo ‘battuto’ and sauté until the pork fat starts to render (melt).
  2. Next add all the vegetables (except the peas and cabbage) and the uncooked beans. Cover with plenty of water (about 2 liters or 4.25 pints) and bring to the boil. Add salt to taste, lower the heat and let the minestrone cook slowly for about 2 hours.
  3. After 2 hours, add the peas and the cabbage cut into strips, plus drained canned beans if using. Let the cooking continue for about 10-15 minutes and then add the rice or pasta.
  4. Let the rice or pasta cook for the time indicated on the package (more or less 20 minutes for rice and 10 minutes for the pasta).
  5. Finally add the fresh basil and remaining fresh parsley. Mix together and serve whilst hot or even at room temperature.

Notes

  • Minestrone Milanese should be thick and dense, not overly liquid.
  • Serve topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for authentic flavor.
  • Use rice for a gluten-free version; replace pasta accordingly.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit pork and choose vegetarian Parmigiano cheese since the traditional variety contains animal rennet.

Nutrition Information

Calories 463kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 59g (20%) Protein 19g (38%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 344mg (14%) Potassium 1428mg (30%) Fiber 12g (48%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 4157IU (83%) Vitamin C 67mg (74%) Calcium 262mg (26%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 463

% Daily Value*

Calories 463kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 59g 20%
Protein 19g 38%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 344mg 14%
Potassium 1428mg 30%
Fiber 12g 48%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 4157IU 83%
Vitamin C 67mg 74%
Calcium 262mg 26%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.