Hearty and Healthy 3 Bean Minestrone

  2.9 – 7 reviews  • Soup
Level: Intermediate
Total: 2 hr
Active: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 8 cups Parmigiano and Herb-Fortified Stock, recipe follows
  2. 4 Roasted Tomatoes, chopped, recipe follows
  3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
  4. 1 1/8-inch-thick slice prosciutto di Parma, about 1/4 pound, optional
  5. 1 onion, chopped
  6. 2 to 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
  7. 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  8. 4 cloves roasted garlic (from roasted tomato recipe), recipe follows
  9. 1 red chile pepper, finely chopped or thinly sliced (recommended: Fresno or Holland)
  10. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  11. 1 pound small potatoes, chopped or 1 cup small pasta
  12. 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
  13. 1 (15 to 15.5-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
  14. 5 ounces fresh, thin green beans, cut into thirds
  15. 1 small head escarole or small bundle chard, shredded
  16. Lemon zest
  17. Parmesan cheese, shredded, for topping
  18. Hot, crusty bread for mopping
  19. 1 large rind trimmed from a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or a few small pieces rind perhaps saved-up
  20. Herb bundle of several sprigs each fresh thyme, parsley and rosemary, tied
  21. 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  22. 2 ribs celery, sliced on angle
  23. 2 carrots, sliced on angle
  24. Peeled rind of 1 lemon
  25. 2 fresh bay leaves
  26. 4 cups chicken stock
  27. 12 cups (3 quarts) water
  28. 24 ripe organic vine tomatoes or large plum tomatoes
  29. Several cloves garlic, crushed
  30. Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling

Instructions

  1. Set aside or prepare the stock and roasted tomatoes.
  2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the prosciutto and stir a couple of minutes. Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and chile pepper, season with salt, and pepper. If you are using potatoes, add them here. If you are using pasta, heat a second medium pot of water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Cool the pasta and drizzle with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil. Cover and store separately from the soup. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, prepared stock and prepared tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil and add the green beans. Bring the soup back to a bubble, then turn off the heat and cool the soup. Store the soup in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
  3. To reheat the soup: Place the soup over medium-high heat. Crisp up the bread in a warm oven. When the soup comes to a boil, stir in the cooked pasta, escarole, and a little lemon zest. Turn off the heat when pasta is warmed through. Serve the soup in shallow bowls and top with cheese, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and crusty bread alongside for mopping.
  4. For the stock:
  5. Place the cheese rind, herb bundle, onion, celery, carrots, lemon rind, bay leaves, chicken stock, and water into a pot and bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer at least 1 hour, and then remove the rind, herb bundle, and vegetables with a slotted spoon or strainer.
  6. For the tomatoes:
  7. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
  8. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet or baking sheets in a single layer. Scatter the garlic among the tomatoes, dress with extra-virgin olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they burst and skins split and begin to char, about 30 minutes. Cool the tomatoes until cool enough to handle and peel. Place the tomatoes in a bowl.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 531 calorie
Total Fat 12 grams
Saturated Fat 2 grams
Cholesterol 5 milligrams
Sodium 1092 milligrams
Carbohydrates 87 grams
Dietary Fiber 18 grams
Protein 23 grams
Sugar 12 grams

Reviews

Jennifer Watson
Meh……Too much work for such bland results.
Anthony Walker
I’ve adapted this recepie as I’m a vegetarian, omitting the meat and simplifying by just adding cans of beans, roasted canned tomatoes and using veggie stock. Instead adding parmesan to taste at serving. This is the tastiest vegetarian soup I have ever made and has become a family favorite.
Tyler Lopez
I followed this recipe exactly and the soup was so blah. Everything in it was tasty but together it was just boring. Won’t be making this again.
Chelsey Griffin
I’m not sure this recipe can be considered “heart healthy” when one serving has nearly half the sodium you should have for one day. If you have BP issues, I’d suggest omitting the parm rind and the prosciutto, and rinsing the beans.
Dawn Brown
I agree the recipe was hard to follow, which is funny since it’s a simple soup! : It came out very fulfilling and hardy. I used potatoes which gave it a nice cream consistancy. I also added the rest of the red pepper I didn’t chop up and added to it my stock vegetables. Wow, it gave it a nice kick! The cheese added at the end is a must as well!
Robin Brown
I like the ingredients, but the recipe is written so badly, one will have to rely on one’s own cooking sense to put it all together. If you’re a beginner, try something else.
Jeremy Johnson
This is so good! The fortified stock used for this soup is amazing. Prosciutto is a bit pricey right now, but really worth it. Unless you have a bunch of kids at your table you will get several meals from this recipe. After the prosciutto is done its just an easy matter of adding ingredients. I tend to have my stuff ready before I start a dish, so it was simple. I used orzo, which blended in nicely without overfilling the pot. This soup is a winner! Oh, and it gave me a place to use up the rest of my red chard!

 

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