"You keep working hard and you eat minestrone," states Claudia Melis, a centenarians resident of the island of Santorini where there are more people 100 years or older per capita than anywhere else in the world. Sardinians credit their longevity to a Mediterranean diet where they eats lots of minestrone. The cooler temps mean that soup's on and it's time to bring out the large stock pot and simmer down for hearty, warm meals.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans drained
- 1 15-ounce can lima beans
- 1 bunch kale stems discarded and rough chopped
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed
- 8 cups low sodium vegetable stock plus more if needed to thin
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cubed
- 1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven to medium-low add extra virgin olive oil. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened (about 7-10 minutes).
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Once the veggies are soft add the garlic and cook until fragrant (2-3 minutes) then add the tomatoes, beans, kale, thyme and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour with the lid partially covered.
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Taste test and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add the potatoes and bring the heat back up to a boil then lower it to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are for tender (20 minutes or less).
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Bring large stock pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt. Add 8-16 oz package of pasta, I like ditalini for minestrone. Cook according to package and then strain. Set aside.
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Taste test the soup once more and make final adjustments to salt and pepper. For a thicker soup feel free to mash some of the beans and potatoes with a wooden spoon.
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Before serving, add a scoop of pasta to your soup bowl. Top with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese and a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve the soup with crusty bread. Enjoy! And remember it is even better the next day.