YIELD: 4 to 6 servings | PREP TIME: 15 minutes | STOVETOP: 20 minutes
• 8 ounces pancetta, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart Chicken Broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds (907 g) fresh tomatoes
• 1 small celery root, peeled and diced
• 1 small cabbage, shredded
• 2 small summer squash or zucchini, diced
• ½ pound kale, stemmed and chopped
• ¼ pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 batch cooked Orecchiette
• Chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish
1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the pancetta. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and the fat has rendered. With a slotted spoon, remove half of the pancetta and set aside to drain on paper towels, leaving the other half in the pot.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, and celery root and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cabbage, squash, kale, and green beans, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Add the orecchiette to heat through. Garnish with chopped basil and the reserved pancetta.
Lower-Carb / Egg-Free Modification: Use veggie noodles instead of Orecchiette.
More Recipes You'll Love
Minestrone with orecchiette is a vegetable-packed Italian classic built on rendered pancetta and a rainbow of garden produce. Cabbage, celery root, squash, kale, and green beans all find their way into the pot, and the little ear-shaped pasta makes it a true meal-in-a-bowl. Crispy pancetta on top finishes it like a proper trattoria would.
Pro Tips
- Brown the pancetta properly and reserve half for garnish. Those crispy bits on top are the textural counterpoint that makes this minestrone special.
- Add the vegetables in stages — hardy celery root and cabbage first, quick-cooking squash and green beans last — so everything is tender at the same moment.
- Add the orecchiette only to heat through at the end. If it simmers too long it will drink up the broth and fall apart.
- For the lower-carb or egg-free version, swap in veggie noodles instead of orecchiette as the recipe notes suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this minestrone keep?
About 4 days in the fridge. Store the pasta separately if possible so it doesn't absorb all the broth overnight.
Can I make this minestrone vegetarian?
Use vegetable broth and omit the pancetta, adding a spoonful of olive oil for richness. The pile of vegetables carries the soup well on its own.
What is orecchiette made of in this recipe?
It is the grain-free orecchiette from the same cookbook, so the whole bowl stays paleo. Standard pasta can be used if that is not a concern.
Can I use frozen vegetables in this soup?
Fresh is best for the cabbage, kale, and squash, but frozen green beans work perfectly and can go straight into the pot.
Recipe Card
- 8 oz pancetta, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 4 celery ribs, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 quart Chicken Broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes
- 1 small celery root, peeled and diced
- 1 small cabbage, shredded
- 2 small summer squash or zucchini, diced
- ½ lb kale, stemmed and chopped
- ¼ lb green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 batch cooked Orecchiette
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add the pancetta. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and the fat has rendered. With a slotted spoon, remove half of the pancetta and set aside to drain on paper towels, leaving the other half in the pot.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, and celery root and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the cabbage, squash, kale, and green beans, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the orecchiette to heat through. Garnish with chopped basil and the reserved pancetta.
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