Traditional Minestrone with a Twist

This Traditional Minestrone with a Twist makes eating healthy a delicious decision.

You’ll love this updated Italian classic soup! It combines a garden full of vegetables and healthy protein-rich legumes (beans, peas, and lentils.) A savory tomato and beef broth base and thick consistency make this bowl of goodness feel more like a stew. It’s a healthy, easy recipe with lots of flexibility for adding various ingredients. You can also keep it vegetarian by using vegetable broth.

A Blue Zone Recipe

This recipe is part of a collection consumed by people who live in the Blue Zones of the world. The term “Blue Zone” was first coined by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Explorer and journalist who discovered five regions where people live longer and enjoy a high quality of life in their old age. Sardinia, Italy, where this recipe originates, is one of those regions.

I had heard about the Blue Zone years ago and was intrigued when Netflix released a series called “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.” That led me to search for recipes highlighted in the series, and I was delighted to find Sardinia Minestrone. My version incorporates a variety of tweaks but still captures the veggies-laden nature of this hearty Italian mainstay.

Read more about the Blue Zones and discover additional healthy and delicious recipes.

Traditional Minestrone with a Twist

Tips & Tweaks

Dry Beans vs. Canned – Instead of soaking dry beans overnight as suggested in the Sadinia Minestrone, I opted for using a can of cooked Great Northern beans and adding fresh green beans. Cannellini and pinto beans are also suggested in the original recipe as options. This substitution made the recipe much easier and resulted in a greater veggie-to-bean ratio (which I prefer.)

Substitutions for Pasta – I swapped out the traditional pasta used in Minestrone for a number of reasons. I wanted to use additional legumes that could add protein since this is a meatless recipe. So I used Quick Cook Barley, Peas & Lentils. This mix was pre-cooked, so it took less simmering time. You can also use just barley, lentils, or farro. Just make sure your selected grain will cook within 30-40 minutes, and add water if necessary. If you prefer pasta, use the link to the Sardinia Minestrone recipe for those details.

Pasta also has a tendency to get overcooked when the soup is reheated, so that made the legume mix a better option since I planned to stash a few servings in the freezer.

Beef Broth vs. Water – I decided that beef broth would pair well with the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste vs. using water, as suggested. I was right! The broth turned out delicious and savory.

Veggie Flexibility – In addition to green beans, the Sardinia Minestrone recipe suggested other vegetables like zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli florets. Hey, it’s soup, not rocket science! Feel free to experiment.

Soups On!

If soup is your thing, like it is mine, check out a few of these recipes, as well as others in my Recipe Index.

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A hearty soup with Italian sausage, sweet potatoes, white beans, and kale in a creamy broth, similar to Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.

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Roasted Vegetable Chicken Soup is a bowl of healthy goodness which includes carrots, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, onion, potatoes, chicken and rosemary.

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Northwoods Wild Rice Soup

Northwoods Wild Rice Soup is a creamy blend of wild rice, chunks of chicken and ham, veggies and a delicious splash of sherry.

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Traditional Minestrone with a Twist

An Italian soup chock full of veggies and a savory tomato beef broth which swaps the pasta for barley and lentils

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Author: Adapted from Sardinia Minestrone – Blue Zones recipe

Ingredients

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery stalks
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup medium yellow potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cup green beans cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fennel bulb
• 16 oz can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dry barley/pea/lentil mix (see notes for options)
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
• 5-6 cups beef broth + water
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
• finely grated Parmesan cheese
• chopped fresh parsley and basil for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 7-10 minutes. (I covered the pan for a few minutes to help it soften without browning.) Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, fennel, beans, barley/pea/lentil mix, parsley, basil, tomato paste, and beef broth. Add enough water to cover everything.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, adding more water as necessary if the mixture gets too thick, about 35-40 minutes. I covered the pot for the last 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve the soup with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

Notes

I swapped out the pasta traditionally used in Minestrone and used a dry barley/pea/lentil mix. This mix used precooked ingredients which cooked in the same amount of time as the vegetables. Other options include using barley, lentils, or pasta. For pasta, the original recipe recommends fregula, couscous, or acini di pepe which is added during the final 10 minutes of simmering.