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Chef John's Hearty Minestrone

4.8
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PREP TIME
20 min
COOKING TIME
85 min
TOTAL TIME
105 min
SERVINGS
6 servings
Dinner
Chef John's Hearty Minestrone
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 ounces chopped pancetta
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water, plus more as needed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, crushed fine
  • 1 cup cranberry beans, shelled
  • 2 cups chopped cabbage, or more to taste
  • 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
  • 2/3 cup ditalini pasta
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a substantial cooking vessel over an elevated heat level, which is medium-high. Introduce pancetta into the pot; cook and stir constantly until it starts to develop a rich brown color, approximately 2-3 minutes. Incorporate sliced onions and chopped celery into the mixture; cook and stir until they begin to lose their crisp edges, around 3 minutes. Introduce minced garlic into the pot and cook for another minute, allowing its flavors to meld.
2
Add a substantial amount of chicken broth, water, and crushed plum tomatoes into the pancetta and onion mixture. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
3
Combine cranberry beans, shredded cabbage, cooked garbanzo beans, red pepper flakes, dried Italian seasoning, and 2 teaspoons of salt into the broth mixture. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil again and cook until the cranberry beans are tender, adding more water as necessary if the soup becomes too concentrated, approximately 45 minutes.
4
Introduce chopped Swiss chard into the pot and simmer until it has softened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to suit your taste preferences.
5
Add pasta to the pot and increase the heat level to medium-high. Simmer until the pasta is tender, approximately 15 minutes. Serve hot in bowls and top with extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and chopped Italian parsley.