Minestra is a dish that’s full of healthy greens and beans; it’s very nutritious and low fat. Despite the way it looks, it’s absolutely delicious! Give it a try to start the new year off in a healthy manner!
Originally published October 19, 2012.
This has to be one, if not the most awful looking dish, of all the things I regularly cook.
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There’s nothing else quite like minestra*, both in looks and taste. I don’t know of any British or American dish which I can compare and contrast it with, so you’ll have to go out on a limb and trust me that it’s not just healthy, but very tasty! It’s also vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
Beans provide the protein, so it’s also a well-rounded meal. You can find canned beans without any added ingredients, but I prefer to cook my own. If you don’t know how, you can learn how easy it is to do here.
I remember coming home from work one day when I was pregnant with my first child, and being so happy that my cousin, Denisa, who was visiting from England, had made minestra for dinner! I suppose it’s a type of Italian “comfort food”, but definitely not one you would feel guilty about eating. The combination of different greens is delicious; the sweetness of the Savoy cabbage softens the flavor of the slightly bitter dandelion.
I won’t get into the kind of dry cured sausage which is typically used in this Italian dish, as most of you would probably not be interested. I can’t buy it here in the US, so I just skip the entire sausage/meat ingredient. This particular sausage has fennel seeds in it, so to mimic the flavor of the sausage, I throw in some fennel seeds and it works quite well.
Minestra is one of those meals which is even better the next day.
Freshly made, it’s lovely when eaten with pieces of sweet onion and crusty Italian bread to soak up the juices (see photo above). However, the next day, it tastes completely different when reheated with more extra virgin olive oil and pieces of dried crusty bread–it’s crazy-good!
Just don’t judge this minestra based on looks. I’m going to show you how to make minestra, and reheat the leftovers and all I hope is that you’re brave enough to give it a try. My neighbor tasted it a while ago and was smitten, and now makes it regularly. In fact, she brought a dish of it for a Thanksgiving dinner side-dish last November!
Feel free to mix and match greens, if you like chard or kale, add some; my mother doesn’t like spinach in hers so she doesn’t add it. It’s a greens “free for all!”
Minestra
a simple D’Aguanno family recipe
Ingredients:
all greens should be washed before cutting
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups (20 oz) of water, or more if needed
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
- one large or two small Savoy cabbages, preferably organic, cut into chunks
- one bunch of dandelion leaves (chicory), organic, trim off bottom inch, then cut in half
- one bunch of kale, or chard, organic, cut (this is optional)
- one bunch of spinach, organic, trim off bottom part of stems, cut in half
- 1/8 tsp dried fennel seeds
- Kosher or sea salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 12 oz or more, Cannellini or Borlotti (cranberry) beans, cooked (how to cook your own dried beans)
Place oil, water and garlic in a very large pot; heat over medium high heat.
First add the chopped Savoy cabbage and cover with the lid.
After about 5 minutes, stir (add the kale if using) and cover again. Let cook for another 5 minutes, then stir once more. You’ll start to think that everything won’t fit in the pot, but it will.
Now add the chicory, and continue to cook over medium heat, covered, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and the fennel seeds. Check to make sure the liquid has not dried up, if so, add more water.
The last greens to go in are the spinach, then cook for another 5 minutes or so. Now add the beans and mix well into the minestra. Taste for salt and pepper, and continue to cook for just a few minutes until the beans are heated through, and that’s it. If it looks like this, you’ve done it correctly!
Serve hot with homemade bread and slices of sweet onion! YUMMY!
Leftover Minestra
- cooked minestra with liquid (if it’s too dry, add a little water)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (for about 4 cups of minestra) be sure to use top quality oil
- stale, crusty Italian bread, torn into bite size pieces
In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, put about 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil, add the minestra and the torn pieces of bread, and drizzle about 1 or 2 more tablespoons of olive oil on top.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the bread has absorbed the liquid and softened, and everything is heated through.
Serve hot, with slices of sweet onion, if desired.
Please let me know what you think of this type of Italian “peasant food” recipe: good or bad; I’d love to hear what your opinion is and if you will try it? Will you never look at my site again? 😂
*For clarification purposes, “minestra” is what my family and people in the area where my family is from, in Italy, call this dish. Minestra is usually more of a soupy dish, however, each area of Italy has different names for sometimes similar dishes. Although my minestra has a lot of liquid, it’s definitely not a soup.
Minestra: Healthy Greens and Beans
Ingredients
- all greens should be washed before cutting
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups (20 oz) of water, or more if needed
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
- one large or two small Savoy cabbages, preferably organic, cut into chunks
- one bunch of dandelion leaves, organic, trim off bottom inch, then cut in half
- one bunch of kale, or chard, organic, cut (this is optional)
- one bunch of spinach, organic, trim off bottom part of stems, cut in half
- 1/8 tsp dried fennel seeds
- Kosher or sea salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 12 oz or more, Cannellini or Borlotti (cranberry) beans, cooked (how to cook your own dried beans)
Instructions
- Place oil, water and garlic in a very large pot; heat over medium high heat. First add the chopped Savoy cabbage and cover with the lid.
- After about 5 minutes, stir (add the kale if using) and cover again. Let cook for another 5 minutes, then stir once more. You'll start to think that everything won't fit in the pot, but it will.
- Now add the dandelion greens, and continue to cook over medium heat, covered, stirring now and then, for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and the fennel seeds. Check to make sure the liquid has not dried up, if so, add more water.
- The last greens to go in are the spinach, then cook for another 5 minutes or so. Now add the beans and mix well into the minestra. Taste for salt and pepper, and continue to cook for just a few minutes until the beans are heated through, and that's it.
- Serve hot with homemade bread and slices of sweet onion! YUMMY!
Leftover Minestra
- cooked minestra with liquid (if it's too dry, add a little water)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (for about 4 cups of minestra) be sure to use top quality oil
- stale, crusty Italian bread, torn into bite size pieces
- In a nonstick frying pan over medium heat, put about 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil, add the minestra and the torn pieces of bread, and drizzle about 1 or 2 more tablespoons of olive oil on top.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the bread has absorbed the liquid and softened, and everything is heated through. Serve hot, with slices of sweet onion, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 bowlAmount Per Serving:Calories: 427 Total Fat: 22g Saturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 18g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 508mg Carbohydrates: 49g Fiber: 15g Sugar: 9g Protein: 17g
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Christina,
loved reading your adventures in Sperlonga and surroundings..so amazing to read about such well known places..well I say well known but not really..I think the whole area is a delicious well kept secret that many do not know about..I empathized with you though about your problems getting to the right airport..the nerves must have been sky high..isn’t Frascati lovely?
Yes! At least there are still places we can go that aren’t overrun by tourists and the tourism industry! Yes, to the airport question, also, but good thing no one had a flight to catch! I love Frascati!
[…] Healthy Greens & Beans […]
Hi Christina….Would it be sacrilegious to add sauted leeks? I LOVE onions..but..not raw.Thanks for all your yummy writings. Nancy
Hi Nancy, I don’t think it’d be sacrilegious to add leeks, but I’m just trying to imagine how it would taste? I love leeks, but I love minestra so much as it is usually made, I think I’d skip them. You don’t need to eat the raw onion with the dish (have you ever had sweet ones? Completely different than normal onions.) Anyway, let me know what you do and what you think of the result! :) Glad you like my posts!CC
I plan on making this tomorrow and was wondering if you think using chicken stock instead of water is a good idea? Or would it change the flavor of the dish too much? Also I was only able to get ground fennel. About how much would I use to get a mild fennel taste? The recipe and photos make this a must try soon dish! I’d also like say Thank you Christina!, for taking the time to answer our questions.
I would definitely not use chicken stock and with the ground fennel, I’d add a pinch to begin with. Taste it and add more as you like. I’m so happy you’re going to try this, Mary Louise! Let me know what you think! CC
I made the recipe as written and it was delicious! My husband loved it, too! He was a little apprehensive about trying it, he thought it might be bitter and taste like grass from the backyard. It was neither of the two. We both agree Minestra will be a regular dish served in our household. Feel free to add more peasant food recipes to your site! 🍲
Mary Louise, you’ve made my day! I’m honestly so happy that you not only tried the “not so pretty” minestra, but that you and your husband like it so much that you’ll be adding it to your menu rotation!! That is awesome! I do have more peasant food dishes, so stay tuned. :) Thanks again! CC
this sounds healthy and delicious! On my list for this month!
You’ll love it!
This definitely looks delicious, Christina – and love that it includes so much gorgeous Savoy cabbage, one of my favourites. Salivating just looking and imagining this recipe, full of gorgeous, healthy ingredients. Everything to love about it!
I know you’d love this, Jill! Hope you give it a try!
I think it looks beautiful! And would love it with the sausage! And minus the garlic! :) We are in a very soupy mood this New Year. And a very happy one to you!
Yes, and yes, David! I do think you’d like it very much! Happy new year to you, too!
I think this looks so delicious. What a great dish to start the year with.
I think you’d really like it, Cathy! :)
It doesn’t look bad! It looks exactly how it’s supposed to look! Healthy and delicious!
Thank you, Mimi! :)
Hi, Chriistina, Love your website! thank you. When I was very young I remember my father cooking the greens ,beans and bread dish, it was very traditional. As I grew up it was still cooked by my mother all the time as my father passed over when I was 15yrs. old. I treasured this dish always and after I was married I often cooked/cook it too. Mum passed, I was in my 50’s. Now this dish is my comfort food and is very much enjoyed with great respect and affection, I love the crunchy bread in it too. Thank you for this beautiful memory. Blessings. Justme 58.
What a lovely connection to your parents through this dish, Giuseppa. Thank you so much for sharing this with me and all the other readers who will come across this recipe. I hope it might entice them to give it a try, too. Thanks again and happy new year! Christina
I don’t think it looks awful! In fact, I took one look at the first picture and wanted it! Such a hearty and flavorful, healthy dish. And it’s exactly how I need to start the year! Happy New Year to you and your family. xoxo
That’s great to hear, Valentina! Thank you and happy new year to you and your family, too! :)
Happy New Year Christina! This recipe of yours looks good to me. I like your approach of using bread and olive oil the next day if there are leftovers. Pinning this to my vegetable board and I will make this in the near future. Thanks!
You’ll love it, Peggy! Happy New Year to you, too!
Cant wait to try this but dont have access to dandelion leaves… any suggestions please? Thank you!
Hi Sharon, I should have added chicory to the recipe as that’s what you would look for in the store. Can you tell me where you live?
Happy New Year!! So………………………..I thought I might try Minestra since I,like many others, plan to eat healthier this year. However, as I looked at the photo of it, my eye strayed to the right and I saw your gorgeous -looking yeast doughnuts! Guess which recipe I’m trying today? I’ll let you know how they turn out. (Also if I ever try Minestra!)
Happy New Year, Carol! That is TOOO funny! I love it, though! I honestly think it’s better to be flexible than completely regimented when dealing with our calorie intake. If you deny yourself too much, it backfires! Good luck and let me know how they turn out! :) CC
I am an amateur home cook and I absolutely love old world cooking of any kind! This looks delicious. I wouldn’t judge your picture! I Plan on making this over the weekend.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear this, Jennifer! Thank you and let me know what you think. I have lots of old world cooking recipes (search “cucina povera” on my site).
Hi Christina,
As a kid coming from a family of nine; six girls and three boys my Italian mother whose parents immigrated from the Provences of Cosenza and Calabrian made
beans and escarole (pronounced shcaroll) with a ham hock..wonderfully tasty and stick to the ribs dish served during the cold winter months.
I love the reminder…since I often eat soy beans as a protein source I’ll be making my own versions while enjoying all the benefits of vitamin-packed greens!
Thanks,
Maria B.
Versailles, KY
OMG, I loved the pronunciation of the escarole as there is a town near my mother’s in Italy where they say it that way, too! Glad to hear you love the dish as well! :) Happy New Year!
Yes – the dialect pronunciation is definitely SHcarola..lol!! Would you be able to tell us the name of the town in Italy near your mom’s? I would probably recognize it I think..
Cervaro is the name of the town where my mother’s birth is registered because her village is too small. It’s called Nalli. At the foot of Monte Trocchio.
Hahaha! I love that! I just responded to you on the other thread re: my mum’s village.
I’m definitely going to make this as soon as the weather gets a bit colder.
That’s awesome, Louise! Let me know what you think!
Hi Christina,
I love peasant food, especially the Italian kind. Would be very interested in hearing about the “dry cured sausage with fennel” that would be used in the original. By the way, from which region of Italy does this version originate?
Hi Fabio, my family is from Lazio, between Rome and Naples near Cassino. It’s a version of sausage which includes different parts of the pig that are not usually used in regular sausage (like the skin and ears). To me, it’s heavenly! I just wish I could always have some on hand, but alas. It’s not that easy in LA. :(
Hi Cristina,
I just found your website and think it’s great!! So many of your recipes I grew up with..probably because my parents are from the same region..between Rome and Naples..not far from Cassino. One of my favorite dishes ever is Minestra with beans!
Hi Camelia! SO happy you found me and my page! Minestra is one of my favorites, too! What is the name of the actual town/village where your parents come from?
sorry Christina – I didn’t see your post before I answered above! My parents were from the Formia/Scauri/Gaeta region and I’ve been through Cassino a couple of times when visiting Montecassino Abbey.
OMG, the area where we always go to the beach! I have several posts on the area! Here is one: https://www.christinascucina.com/a-recipe-for-paccheri-con-sugo-di-mare-pasta-with-seafood-sauce-and-a-drive-from-rome-to-sperlonga/
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[…] Minestra combines healthy greens and beans into a full meal, using dandelion greens for a hint of bitterness and extra nutrition. […]
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Hi Christian,
I make something like this, but I add potatoes!
It’s very simple and delicious!
Thanks for all your great recipes!
Have a Happy Super Bowl weekend with family and friends!
We’ll be at my younger son’s house celebrating and eating!
I’m going to bring your no knead pizza with tomatoes and cheese cut into bite size pieces!
Luisa from Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.
That’s great, Luisa! It’s so nutritious and healthy! I’m so happy you’ll be making the no knead pizza! Yay! I don’t think I’ll be watching the game though (no, in fact I wont!) haha!
Hi Christina, we have a slightly different method for making minestr a, which is also my favourite comfort food. First we bring salted water to a boil. Then we add diced potatoes and ditali pasta. When the pasta and potatoes are half done we add the greens and beans. When cooked thru we drain most (but not all) of the liquid. Separately, we sauté chopped garlic and afresh hot pepper in olive oil. This isaddedto the finished minestra. Finally add Parmesan to taste. If you try this approach, let me know what you think. Theresa
Goodness, I missed this comment, Theresa! Sorry, it was when I was in Spain last year. This sounds a little more like what I’d call minestrone. Funny how different names are given to similar dishes all over Italy! My mother would make minestrone when I was growing up, but unfortunately, I was never a fan. It’s so nutritious and truly a comfort food! Thanks for sharing :)
[…] there are some super tasty things we just don’t have that much control over, like clams, minestra or this […]
[…] virgin olive oil and oregano, similar to pickled eggplant, then a dish similar to my family’s minestra, but with potatoes. We couldn’t believe how flavorful such simple ingredients could be. Then […]
Hi Christina, love your blog. These are the dishes my Italian mamma makes every week ( 87 years young ) I knew you were the real deal when I spotted a box of Dececco pasta. Can’t wait to peruse your files to see what other treats you post. Bravissima! I will show my mom this website when I visit, she is always amazed by what we find online. PS My husband is Scottish so you have our family menus covered.
Hi Dolores! Thank you so much for your note, it really makes my day to hear such comments! I love that my blog is the perfect fit for your Scottish Italian household, but I’m a bit biased! haha! Glad you found me!! CC
It sounds great! Thank you for sharing with us last night on Walking on Sunshine’s FB page!
You’re always welcome, Lois! CC
Ha ! Some of my veggie dish defies description ! lol I would surely want to try this comforting and healthy dish :D
So glad to hear it, Anne! I’m so glad you make similar veggie dishes! haha!
Wow! What a great dish! That last photo says it all! I’m so ready to try this!
Wow! Really? I thought it would be my description which would convince anyone to make this. I love it, but still think it doesn’t look enticing! :) Thanks, Leslie!
Okay you are a total genius. I can’t even get over this. I am trying this out this week yey!:D
No genius going on here, just passing along my family’s recipes! But I’ll still take the compliment! Haha! Thank you, Daphne ;)
Yum! Don’t you just love comfort food that is also healthy?? The last picture, besides being really beautiful, made my mouth water! I love the idea of reheating (and re-eating) this minestra: double delicious! :-)
Oh, you’re so sweet to say it made your mouth water! It’s not the prettiest dish, but it is so yummy! Thank you so much, Manu! CC