Minestrone with sausage
The Italian fall soup, made from November's basket: leeks, carrots, chard, white beans, a Parmesan rind for depth, and Italian sausage browned first so the whole pot tastes of it. The month's one soup: make it on Sunday and it's lunch all week.
About 550 kcal and 25 g protein a serving
You'll need
- ¾ lb Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 leeks, sliced and rinsed
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems chopped, leaves torn
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 cans white beans, drained
- 1 carton (4 cups) chicken stock, plus 3 cups water
- A Parmesan rind, and grated Parmesan to serve
- 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, black pepper, and chile flakes
Make it
Tap a step when it's done.
- 6–8 minHeat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the sausage, breaking it up, and lift it out with a slotted spoon.
- 8–10 minLower the heat to medium. Add the leeks, carrots, chard stems, and a pinch of salt and cook in the sausage fat until soft. Add the garlic and a pinch of chile flakes for the last minute.
- Add the tomatoes and their juice, the beans, stock, water, Parmesan rind, and the sausage, and bring to a simmer.
- 25 minSimmer gently, partly covered, until the vegetables are tender and the broth tastes rich.
- 10 minAdd the pasta and cook until tender. If you're keeping most of the pot for the week, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl, so it doesn't swell in the fridge.
- 2 minStir in the chard leaves until they wilt. Take out the rind and season with salt and pepper.
- To serveGrated Parmesan, black pepper, and a thread of olive oil on each bowl. Cool the rest quickly and refrigerate it within 2 hours.
Leftovers
It keeps four days in the fridge and three months in the freezer (without the pasta). On day two, it's even better; on day three, it's the start of ribollita.
Make it a meal
Toast a thick slice of sourdough with Parmesan, and crack an egg into the simmering bowl, covered, for four minutes.
How it works
Minestrone is a method more than a recipe: soften what's in season in fat, add tomatoes, beans, and liquid, simmer until it tastes rich, then add pasta and greens at the end. Browning the sausage first seasons everything after it, and the Parmesan rind gives the broth a depth that water and stock alone don't.
Make it your own
- Leave out the sausage and start with more olive oil, for a meat-free pot.
- A diced fennel bulb with the carrots, or cauliflower florets.
- Shredded leftover braised chicken stirred in at the end.
Checked against
- Hearty Minestrone — America's Test Kitchen — white beans and a Parmesan rind simmered with the vegetables; the rind comes out before serving
- Desperation Minestrone Soup — Food52 — whatever vegetables are in season, a Parmesan rind, pasta and greens in for the last 10 minutes
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart — USDA — ground pork, including sausage, is safe at 160°F
- Leftovers and Food Safety — USDA — refrigerate within 2 hours; 3 to 4 days in the fridge, 3 to 4 months frozen
Nutrition estimate, per serving
| Calories | 500–600 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50–65 g |
| Fat | 20–25 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
A serving: One of six big bowls (about 2 cups), with a little grated Parmesan.
Not included: Bread.
With “Make it a meal”: about 750–900 kcal and 40–45 g protein.
Estimated from standard nutrition data for each ingredient in the amounts above, then rounded. Fish, brands, and portions vary, so read these as a guide, not a measurement.