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Bowl of chestnut and borlotti bean minestra with visible chestnut pieces, olive oil drizzle, and cracked pepper on a wooden table

Chestnut and Borlotti Bean Minestra with Pancetta

A thick, rustic Tuscan soup simmering chestnuts and borlotti beans with pancetta and rosemary until creamy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian (Tuscan)
Calories: 376
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soffritto and base
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more to finish
  • 80 g pancetta, diced or guanciale
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped medium
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped medium
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
Soup
  • 300 g cooked, peeled chestnuts vacuum-packed or jarred, roughly chopped
  • 2 canned borlotti beans, drained and rinsed x 400 g cans
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 piece Parmesan rind optional but recommended
  • 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock / 4 cups
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste; freshly cracked

Method
 

Build the soffritto
  1. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart / 3.8 L Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden.
  2. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.
  3. Add the garlic, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add the chopped chestnuts, half of the borlotti beans, the Parmesan rind, and the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts start to break down and the broth looks slightly cloudy.
  3. Remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Using an immersion blender, puree about half the soup directly in the pot, leaving the rest chunky. Don't blend it all or the starch turns the soup pasty instead of silky.
  4. Stir in the remaining whole borlotti beans and simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the soup coats the back of a spoon.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Thin with a splash of stock or water if the soup looks too thick.
  2. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and finish with a crack of black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  • Blend only half the soup, not all of it, to avoid a pasty texture.
  • Simmer the rosemary sprig whole so you can remove it before serving.
  • Soup thickens as it cools, thin with stock when reheating.
  • Dried chestnuts need overnight soaking plus 40-50 minutes simmering before use.