Print 4x6 Recipe Cards
Print this recipe out and cut along the dotted lines to add this 4x6 recipe card to your personal collection.

Super Quick Minestrone
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) tubetti pasta, or other small pasta shape
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 3 pieces
6 medium garlic cloves, each cut in 1/2 lengthwise
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions (2 small onions)
1 cup small-diced celery (2 medium stalks)
1 cup small-diced carrots (2 to 3 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme leaves
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 cups small-diced zucchini (green/yellow) (5 small zucchini)
2 cups small-diced, peeled russet potatoes (1 large russet)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan


1

Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

 


Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the
pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a
baking sheet. Toss the pasta with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the chicken stock.

In another large saucepan over high heat, heat 1/4 cup oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add
the pancetta and cook until it begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the garlic
and cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium
and add the onions, celery, and carrots.
Cook until the vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. Add
the chopped herbs. Raise the heat to high. Add the beans, tomatoes, zucchini, and potatoes. Add the
chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then bring it down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are
tender, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming any foam off the top of the soup. Season generously with pepper.
Add salt, to taste. Just a few minutes before serving, add the cooked tubetti pasta. Serve warm with
Parmesan and olive oil passed at the table.

2

Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved


Cooking notes: Add the cooked pasta just before serving. If it sits in the soup too long, it
develops a flabby texture. Tubetti (little hollow tubes) are the classic pasta for minestrone, but
you could substitute another small shape of pasta.



3

Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved