Minestra di Verdure e Fagioli Molisana
A slow-simmered Molisano vegetable and bean pot poured over thick slices of stale country bread, also known locally as minestra coi fagioli e pane.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed pot or terracotta casserole
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef's knife
- •Chopping board
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 11 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm half the extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
- 2
Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and whole crushed garlic cloves.
- 3
Cook for six to eight minutes until the vegetables soften and turn translucent.
- 4
Stir in the diced potatoes and crushed tomatoes, cooking for three minutes.
- 5
Add the shredded Savoy cabbage and stir until the leaves begin to wilt.
- 6
Pour in the cooked beans, bean liquor, and warm water.
- 7
Season with the sea salt and crumbled dried chilli pepper.
- 8
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- 9
Simmer uncovered for thirty-five to forty minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- 10
Place a thick slice of stale bread into the bottom of each soup bowl.
- 11
Ladle the boiling vegetable and bean broth generously over the bread slices.
- 12
Let rest for two minutes, drizzle with the remaining raw olive oil, and serve.
Chef's tips
Choose dense, crusty sourdough or durum wheat bread so it softens without disintegrating into the broth. If cooking dried beans from scratch, save all their cooking broth to replace the plain water for deeper savoury flavour.
Ingredient substitutions
- Savoy cabbage → Swiss chard or winter black kale
- cannellini beans → Molisano tondini or borlotti beans
Storage
Store the vegetable and bean base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days without adding the bread.
Reheating
Reheat the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water if needed, then ladle over fresh stale bread.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using thinly sliced sandwich bread that turns into mush instead of holding its shape
- •Boiling the soup rapidly rather than maintaining a slow, gentle simmer
Serving suggestions
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