Description
Hearty minestrone soup gets a Brazilian twist with smoky bacon and black beans. Perfect for a cozy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4-5 strips thick sliced smoked bacon
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) large yellow or white onion
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) diced carrots
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) diced celery
- 1 lbs (751 g) can of black beans
- 4 cups (946 ml) beef stock
- 1 cups (237 ml) canned tomatoes and their juice
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cups (237 ml) mezzi rigatoni pasta
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- In a medium to large non-stick saucepan, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the onions and sweat them for about 3 to 5 minutes in the bacon fat.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the beans, beef stock, tomatoes and their juice, salt and pepper to taste, pasta, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until pasta is cooked).
- Remove bay leaf and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro/parsley (if desired) and accompanied by bread.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use bone-in bacon and simmer the soup for a longer time to extract more collagen.
- If you don’t have beef stock, substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth for a lighter flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Brazilian-Italian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 40