Minestra de Fasolu
Minestra de fasolu is a rustic Sardinian bean soup gently simmered with aromatic vegetables, cured pork, and toasted fregola or small pasta.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-bottomed pot
- •Ladle
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 490 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 65 g
- fibre
- 9 g
- protein
- 21 g
- calories
- 490 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the diced pancetta and fry gently until golden and aromatic.
- 3
Stir in the chopped onion, carrot, and celery with a small pinch of salt.
- 4
Cook for eight minutes until the vegetables soften and turn sweet.
- 5
Add the garlic and wild fennel, cooking for one minute until fragrant.
- 6
Stir in the soaked beans, tomato passata, and warm broth.
- 7
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- 8
Cover and simmer for fifty minutes until the beans are tender.
- 9
Crush a ladleful of beans against the pot wall to thicken the liquid.
- 10
Stir in the fregola and simmer uncovered for twelve minutes until al dente.
- 11
Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- 12
Ladle into warm bowls and top with freshly grated Fiore Sardo.
Chef's tips
Soak dried beans for at least eight hours to guarantee an even cooking time and a creamy texture. Keep a small saucepan of hot water nearby while the fregola cooks, adding a splash if the soup becomes too thick.
Ingredient substitutions
- fregola sarda → ditalini, tubetti pasta, or broken spaghetti
- Fiore Sardo DOP → Pecorino Sardo or sharp Pecorino Romano
- pancetta → cured lardo or omit entirely for a traditional vegetarian version
Storage
Keep cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the starch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting the broth heavily at the start, which hardens the skins of raw beans.
- •Boiling too rapidly, which breaks the delicate beans apart before they become creamy.
- •Letting the cooked soup sit too long before serving, as fregola continues to absorb liquid.
Serving suggestions
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