Early Autumn Minestrone Recipe

Name: Early Autumn Minestrone
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 200g/7oz cannellini or borlotti beans, fresh, or dried and soaked overnight; 1 bay leaf; 1 tomato, squashed; 1 small potato, peeled; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; Olive oil; 4 rashers smoked pancetta or bacon, chopped; 2 small red onions, peeled and finely chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and chopped; 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped; 1/2 a head of fennel, chopped; 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped; A small bunch of fresh basil, leaves and stalks separated; 2 x 400g/14oz tins of good-quality plum tomatoes; 2 small courgettes (zucchini), quartered and sliced; A glass of red wine; 200g/7oz chard or spinach, washed and roughly sliced (including stalks); 565ml/1 pint chicken, ham or vegetable stock; 55g/2oz dried pasta; Extra virgin olive oil; A block of Parmesan cheese, to serve

Servings: persons

200g/7oz cannellini or borlotti beans, fresh, or dried and soaked overnight
1 bay leaf
1 tomato, squashed
1 small potato, peeled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
4 rashers smoked pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 small red onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
1/2 a head of fennel, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
A small bunch of fresh basil, leaves and stalks separated
2 x 400g/14oz tins of good-quality plum tomatoes
2 small courgettes (zucchini), quartered and sliced
A glass of red wine
200g/7oz chard or spinach, washed and roughly sliced (including stalks)
565ml/1 pint chicken, ham or vegetable stock
55g/2oz dried pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
A block of Parmesan cheese, to serve

1
Add your fresh or dried and soaked beans to a pan of water with the bay leaf, squashed tomato and potato this will help to flavour the beans and soften their skins.
2
Cook until tender check by tasting.
3
They must be soft.
4
Dried beans can take up to an hour, but check fresh ones after 25 minutes.
5
Drain (reserving about half a glass of the cooking water), and discard the bay leaf, tomato and potato.
6
Now season with salt, pepper and a splash of oil.
7
While the beans are cooking, make your soffrito.
8
Heat a good splash of olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped pancetta or bacon, onions, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and the finely sliced basil stalks.
9
Sweat very slowly on a low heat, with the lid just ajar, for around 15 to 20 minutes until soft, but not brown.
10
Add the tomatoes, courgettes and red wine and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
11
Now add the chard or spinach, stock and beans.
12
Put the dried pasta into a plastic bag, squeeze all the air out and tie the end up.
13
Bash gently with a rolling pin to break the pasta into pieces.
14
Snip the end off the bag and empty the contents into the soup.
15
Stir and continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked.
16
If you think the soup is looking too thick, add a little more stock or some of the reserved cooking water to thin it down a bit.
17
Then taste and season with salt and pepper.
18
Serve sprinkled with the torn-up basil leaves and with some extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top.
19
Put a block of Parmesan and a grater on the table for everyone to help themselves.
20
Heaven!

36518

kcal

Calories

685

Fat

2384

Carbs

5197

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

Tips for the best results

Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Avoid overcrowding the pan — cook in batches if needed for the best texture.
Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors settle.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.

Variations & substitutions

Feel free to swap in similar ingredients you already have on hand and adjust seasoning to taste.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

My Personal Notes

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How did you like this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 21 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 200g/7oz cannellini or borlotti beans, fresh, or dried and soaked overnight, 1 bay leaf, 1 tomato, squashed, 1 small potato, peeled, and more.

Yes, Early Autumn Minestrone falls under the Soups & Stews category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.

That's it — enjoy your meal!

Early Autumn Minestrone

Tips for the best results

Variations & substitutions

My Personal Notes

How did you like this recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions