Sardinian minestrone soup gained popularity through the captivating Netflix documentary ‘Live to 100, Secrets of Blue Zones’. This soup features a large variety of hearty and nutritious seasonal vegetables, beans, and spices, making it delicious and super healthy. It’s incredibly versatile, and in this specific Sardinian minestrone recipe, we save time and effort by using canned beans!
What Is Sardinian Minestrone Soup?
Sardinian minestrone soup is a traditional Italian soup originating from the island of Sardinia, which is a Blue Zone. It is a hearty and nutritious vegetable soup that typically features a variety of seasonal vegetables and legumes, simmered together in a flavorful tomato-based broth. You can find the original Sardinia minestrone soup recipe from ‘Blue Zones’ here.
The ingredients can vary based on availability and personal preference, but common vegetables used include:
In addition to vegetables, Sardinian minestrone often includes legumes such as cannellini beans, chickpeas, or lentils, which add protein and texture to the soup. The soup is typically seasoned with herbs like basil, parsley, and thyme, as well as a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for richness and flavor.
Sardinian minestrone soup is a comforting and versatile dish that can be enjoyed year-round. It’s often served as a first course or a light meal, accompanied by crusty bread or toasted croutons. The combination of fresh ingredients, simple preparation, and Mediterranean flavors makes Sardinian minestrone soup a great beginner Mediterranean diet recipe!
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Why Do People Claim This Soup Promotes Longevity?
Sardinia is recognized as a Blue Zone due to its exceptional longevity and high concentration of centenarians, or people who live to be 100 years old or more. Several factors contribute to Sardinia’s status as a Blue Zone, including its traditional Mediterranean diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and legumes, which are all known for their health-promoting properties.
Packed with a variety of seasonal vegetables, legumes like cannellini beans or chickpeas, and seasoned with heart-healthy herbs and extra virgin olive oil, this soup provides essential nutrients without excess saturated fat.
The ingredients support heart health and reflect the traditional Sardinian eating patterns of emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods.
Why You Will Love Sardinia Minestrone
How To Make It
Basically, you saute the veggies, add the starchy vegetables and beans, boil it, then add the pasta! But here, let’s break it down. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and instructions!
Warm olive oil in a large pot, then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes before adding the garlic. Stir well for 20 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the canned tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, parsley, basil, and canned beans. Add 6-8 cups of water (I do 7), then the spices and bay leaf. Bring to a full boil, then lower the heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the pasta (I use couscous), and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is finished cooking. This will vary depending on the pasta you choose to use.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more fresh chopped herbs and 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil per bowl. You can also sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Tips For Success
Try to purchase organic crushed tomatoes. They taste so much better than non-organic, and they are only about a dollar more! I also recommend purchasing organic canned beans for flavor.
Make sure that you taste the soup and add more salt as needed! I wrote the recipe to purposefully use less salt to make it more heart healthy, but if you find that it is slightly lacking in flavor, you may want to add more.
You are going to also want to make sure that you are chopping your potatoes uniformly so that they cook evenly.
When To Serve It
Sardinian longevity minestrone makes a wonderful meal prep soup because the flavors develop even more after sitting in the fridge overnight! I like to serve this for dinner one night and then eat the leftovers for lunch the next few days.
Because it is a light minestrone soup without broth, it goes great with a glass of robust red wine and a piece of crusty sourdough bread!
How To Store Leftovers In The Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between to prevent hot spots. You can also toss it back into a pot and reheat it on the stove.
How To Freeze It
This is a great soup to freeze! You can freeze it in a large freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before eating, then reheat on the stove until warm.
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Sardinian Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 15 oz can of kidney beans, rinsed or whatever canned beans you prefer
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp per bowl to drizzle
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 6 stalks of celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic presser
- 1 28 oz can of organic crushed tomatoes
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fennel optional
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely to about 2 tbsp
- 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 7 cups water can use anywhere from 6-8 cups
- 3/4 cup dry Israeli couscous, acini de pepe, ditalini, or fregola pasta fregola pasta is what is traditionally used
- 1 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- garnish with grated parmesan if you like
Instructions
- Warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot, then add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes before adding the minced garlic. Stir well for 20 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the canned tomatoes, cubed potatoes and sweet potatoes, fennel, parsley, basil, and rinsed canned beans. Add 6-8 cups of water (I do 7), then the spices, salt/pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a full boil, then lower the heat slightly and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta (I use couscous), and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is finished cooking, stirring occasionally. This cooking time will vary depending on the pasta you choose to use.
- Check the consistency of the soup and add more water as needed, as it does thicken up quite a bit as it cooks. I wrote the recipe to use minimal salt for heart health, so taste test and add salt as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more fresh chopped herbs and 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil per bowl. You can also sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve alone or with a toasted piece of sourdough bread, and enjoy!
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
Love this soup! And it’s so healthy
I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Delicious!