| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 50 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
- 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 (1-ounce) Parmesan rind
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.
- In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 300 |
| Total Fat | 12 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 13 mg |
| Sodium | 1099 mg |
Reviews
D is y
This was so delicious! Did the recipe exactly as stated except I did use bacon instead of pancetta because our local store didn’t have any, and I had bacon. Makes a lot! We have 4 people (1 kid and one 91 yr old) and had enough leftovers for a few days. I got to the point where I ended up getting rid of the last bit. Which is sad because it was so good. You might want to half the recipe depending on your family 🙂
Not a fan of the rosemary flavor profile in this. Way too strong. Would recommend not using rosemary and maybe subbing bay leaf.
I’ve made this a number of times and with modifications when required. I’ve used red and green chard. I’ve used crushed tomatoes. I’ve puréed the beans and I haven’t. You really can’t go wrong. As long as you add the rind your flavor is going to be rich and amazing. Make sure to test the potatoes and their doneness prior to stopping as that time can vary significantly. The soup is outstanding.
Thoroughly enjoyed this soup. I stuck with the recipe with the exception of the beans, I keep them whole. So yummy!
I substituted noodles for potatoes and added an extra can of beans. So good! Perfect for a snowy day !
It’s a Delicious soup! I triple it because everyone wants to take some home. Only change I made was I used kale and puréed 2 cans of beans. Definitely put in the Parmesan rind it adds so much flavor.
Giada’s Winter Minestrone recipe was such an inspiration for me. I changed a few things out and it has come out delicious. I use bacon and crumbled sweet Italian sausage out of the casing in lieu of the pancetta, and escarole instead of the swiss chard. I also use a combination of chicken and beef broth. I do not use potatoes but instead make a small macaroni, like ditalini, on the side and add a scoop to the bottom of each soup bowl. I served this to my family during the holidays, and to step it up a notch, I added a dollop or two of sauteed escarole and slices of roasted sweet sausage to the top of each dish. It not only tasted amazing, it made an amazing presentation! Thank you Giada, for giving me the inspiration to expand on your delicious recipe.
The article says the secret is a “frozen parmesan rind” but the recipe doesn’t mention anything about having to be frozen. Does it matter?
This is our go-to recipe for soup. I often throw frozen spinach in since I have that on hand.