A Deliciously Tasty Sardinian Minestrone Soup Recipe

Recipes that claim to let you “eat yourself healthy” are a dime a dozen on the internet. In fact, some of these recipes aren’t even healthy at all! Yet keep reading to learn about a Sardinian minestrone soup recipe that is not only healthy but may add years to your life:

The Legend Surrounding the Soup’s Claim for Longevity

Back in 2012, TheGuardian.com reported about a family with some pretty extraordinary claims to longevity. The nine siblings credited their Sardinian minestrone soup for their jaw-dropping ages. When this article was published, the nine siblings’ ages totaled 818 when added together, with the oldest being 105 and the youngest at 78!

The interesting thing about this family is that they’re from a place where they had the most 100-year-old or more people in one area. If you asked any of them how they felt they got to live to that ripe age, many would credit the Sardinian minestrone soup!

They also say that good, hard work plays a role in their longevity. Since most people worldwide work hard already, it would be interesting to see if adding this soup to the daily menu would positively impact overall health.

Recipe for Sardinian Minestrone Soup

Soup is always a comfort food, but it can also be nutritious and filling! Here’s a recipe that you can use to make your own Sardinian Minestrone Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 carrots, diced (scrub well if not peeling)
• 4 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bulb of fennel, diced
• 3 potatoes, diced small (equivalent of about 2 ½ cups)
• 2 16 oz. cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 16 oz. cans of cannellini or fava beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 16 oz. can of pinto or cranberry beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 large fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 32 oz. of vegetable broth or stock
• ½ tbsp of dry basil
• ⅔ cup of Sardinian fregula (may use Israeli or pearl couscous or acini de pepe pasta)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
• Olive oil

Directions:

1. Place your largest pot on the stove and coat the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Turn the burner up to medium-high heat.
2. Add your carrots, onion, and celery to the pot. Add a bit of salt and pepper to your veggies and stir until they become translucent. This is usually after about 5 to 6 minutes of cooking. (You may need to add more oil now if the vegetables are sticking to the bottom of the pan.)
3. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Add the fennel and cook for one minute.
5. Add the potatoes and all of the beans. Top the veggies with 1 tbsp of freshly chopped parsley and basil. Sprinkle a little more salt, black pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes. (Resist the urge to dump in all of your herbs. They may become brown and overcooked, taking away from the fresh herb flavors later.)
6. Add the crushed tomatoes and a tablespoon of tomato paste. Stir all of the ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
7. Now it’s time to add the broth or stock. Add the entire container and then add tepid water to the pot so that the liquid covers the vegetable and bean mixture by around ¾ of an inch.
8. Brink the pot to a boil and then set a timer for 40 minutes. Once the liquid just starts to boil, bring the temperature down so the soup is at a simmer. (The soup should retain plenty of water, but adding extra during cooking is okay if you like a more brothy soup or the liquid dips below the ingredients.)
9. It’s okay to step away from the soup occasionally, but make sure you stir the soup regularly.
10. Once the timer goes off, add your fregula or other pasta. Set your timer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked how you like it.
11. Once done, add additional salt and pepper to taste.

You can garnish with fresh cheese or additional fresh herbs if you like. Ladle into large bowls and serve!

Variations on the Sardinian Minestrone Soup

Soup can be a blank canvas. You know the basics, but there are some fantastic things you can do to get different or even better results for your simple recipe!

If you love this soup and want to switch things up or just don’t like some of the ingredients, consider making changes like:

• Leave out any herb you like.
• Add other herbs like bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme for a different flavor profile.
• Switch out or add your favorite beans like kidney, great northern, pink, or your favorite legumes.
• Add lentils (brown, green, yellow, red). You don’t have to substitute lentils for beans. In fact, the texture of a soup with both beans and lentils can be very satisfying!
• Garnish with your favorite cheese. Some people swear by sheep or goat’s milk cheese, but you can use whatever you prefer. Salty cheeses like feta and parmesan are really good with soup.
• Switch up your vegetables. Add what you have or make the soup veggies specific to your favorite taste profile. Some additions might include green beans, cabbage, kale, spinach, or anything else you love!
• While this soup is made to be vegan or vegetarian, you can choose to switch out the stock for chicken or beef. In fact, you can add your own meat to bulk up your soup if you like!
• Some recipes from older generations have the chef adding pork lard to their soup. While it might be delicious, it’s really a personal choice from a health perspective for each person.
• If you want a little texture and different flavor from the tomatoes in your soup, feel free to add some sundried tomatoes (with the oil, if possible).
• Add some more nutrition with sweet potatoes rather than white or gold potatoes.
• Switch out your pasta or add barley instead.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to veggie-heavy soups. Always try something new when you need a change or want to have fun, making this hearty soup ever exciting!

How to Take Your Sardinian Minestrone Soup to Another Level

This soup is perfect as-is, but there are a few things you can serve with it to make it more enjoyable. Consider serving it with:

• Flatbread
• Goat’s or sheep’s milk
• Sourdough bread
• Yogurt

Since this soup is simple, you don’t need to get too fancy when adding extras to your meal. But remember, you’re not limited to the suggestions here. Many more additions can make your meal memorable.

The Sardinian Minestrone Soup Recipe Is the Best in Comfort Food

Nothing feels better than serving the people you love a healthy, delicious meal. It doesn’t matter if you’re making it because of the longevity legends or if it sounds delicious. Have fun and make your version of this soup your own.

You can also read:

• How to Make the Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup Recipe at Home
• How to Make Rao’s Minestrone Soup Recipe at Home
• How to Make Carrabba’s Minestrone Soup Recipe At Home
• A Deliciously Tasty Peruvian Quinoa Soup Recipe
• A Deliciously Tasty Plantain Soup Recipe
• How to Make the Ina Garten Asparagus Soup Recipe at Home