Kale Minestrone With Pistou (2024)

Minestrone:

3 sprigs oregano

3 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped (optional)

1 onion, chopped

1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained

1 Parmesan rind (about 2 ounces; optional)

3 cups cooked cannellini beans, cooking liquid reserved if desired, or two 15-ounce cans, rinsed

Freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/2 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 1" pieces

Pistou and assembly:

2 garlic cloves

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 ounce finely grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt

Leave a Review

• One of the best soups! The parm rind was surely the X factor. I'm delighted with the results. I followed exactly with only one small change: I used 2 cups of mushroom broth instead of all water. OUTSTANDING!

  • KStatenmom

  • texas

  • 1/8/2022

• My family loves this soup! I have added italian sausage to it in the past. The pistou is delicious, but I have also just used Costco pesto for topping if I'm short on time!

  • Jessica

  • St. Paul, MN

  • 11/19/2021

• Such good soup! I usually make minestrone with pasta, but this recipe with potatoes and bacon is really satisfying. I did not have pancetta so used lean bacon. I had no leeks so added garlic. Did without the pistol altogether and didn't mis it.

  • crowdesign

  • Vancouver, WA

  • 5/18/2020

• This is a great soup! I make exactly as written except I use store-bought fresh pesto to save time. On occasion I'll add a chopped red pepper or 1/2 a bulb of fresh shaved fennel for more veg.

  • jenf5

  • Baltimore

  • 1/1/2020

• This is an exceptional soup. The only changes were about 1/2 Aleppo pepper and a generous drizzle of nam pla (fermented fish sauce) for umami and a bit of extra saltiness

  • franpost

  • Port Townsend WA

  • 12/17/2019

• Excellent and filling soup! I made the recipe exactly as written, including the pancetta but not the parm rind. I could not bring myself to add 1/2 cup of olive oil to the finished soup so instead of the pistou I chopped up a bunch of basil and through it in. It was awesome. I will definitely make this again and again.

  • nutmeg_nole

  • Connecticut

  • 11/17/2019

• This recipe is awesome! I've made it a few times now and love it. The broth is full of flavor and the vegetables and kale add great texture. In my opinion, the pesto is completely unnecessary. It doesn't add much other than extra work and calories.

  • laparisi

  • 1/14/2019

• I will absolutely make this soup again! The suggestion of spicy Italian sausage was fantastic! I experimented with pistou and a chimichurri sauce, which was actually better since it added a nice brightness to the dish. I used a sweet potato instead of the yukon golds since I had one in my cupboard. I also used 3 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon vegetable base (inspired by an Epicurious article) which is a new thing for me and the flavor was great. I wish I'd held off on the salt that I put in right before the BTB though. I also threw in a small can of tomato sauce which was a mistake as the soup tasted perfect, but I was clearing my cupboard and it took on a stronger tomato flavor that just wasn't what I wanted. Next time I will follow the recipe properly for the tomato ingredients! Threw in extra kale and served it with buttery, crusty, toasted french bread with healthy scoop of fresh grated Parmesan. For my daughter's portion, I threw in some cooked pasta pinwheels and the baby enjoyed the carrots and beans. All in all, extremely flavorful (even without the sausage!) and healthy and hearty.

  • elsabutler1

  • 12/19/2018

• amazing!! used 14oz of crushed tomatoes with basil and then one can of fire-roasted tomatoes for some smokiness. SO delicious.

  • bhatiaa.richa4096

  • CO

  • 12/15/2018

• This soup is very good. I made it as described (including pancetta) with one exception: I pureed one of the cans of beans. I do this with a lot of recipes because I want to eat the beans, but I don't love the sensation of biting into them. The pistou is definitely a major factor in its deliciousness.

  • elaffint

  • Texas

  • 12/2/2018

• This is a great soup. Not sure why I made this recipe because I really have never had a good minestrone, but this one is amazing. I will make this recipe again and again.

  • kleina61

  • Hanover, Ma

  • 10/13/2018

• This is one of the best soups I’ve made in a long time. Didn’t use the bacon or beans, but added vegetable stock and extra carrots, celery and kale. Used dried herbs and store bought pesto and was amazed at the depth of flavor. Perfect meal for a cold, snowy day.

  • andrea55

  • Sioux Falls

  • 10/4/2018

• This is the best soup EVER! I omit the oregano and I add chopped fennel. It also freezes really well!!

  • Anonymous

  • Philadelphia

  • 10/1/2018

• I'll add my praise - this is now my favorite minestrone. So delicious and satisfying. I made it without the beans due to a guest who cannot digest them and used green beans instead. The soup still had plenty of substance. I also added, just before serving, 2 zucchini sliced and sauteed in olive oil until almost crisp. And yes, to the Pistou YUM!

  • karens1

  • san Francisco

  • 9/21/2018

• This is a wonderful soup recipe. We had the soup for dinner one night with bread, and then froze the rest in individual freezer containers. This one is a keeper.

  • aw302

  • Beverly, MA

  • 1/30/2018

TagsSoupSoup/StewItalianEuropeanKaleLeafy GreensVegetableCannellini BeanWhite BeanBean and LegumeYukon Gold PotatoPotatoRoot VegetableBasilCanned TomatoTomatoMainStarterDinnerGluten FreeSimmerFood ProcessorBon Appétit