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Hearty, healthy, and satisfying, this Southern minestrone soup is a cozy, one-pot supper for chilly days. With black-eyed peas, pinto beans, pork sausage, okra, collard greens, pasta, and other veggies, it’s a delicious twist on the classic Italian dish!
Table of Contents
Minestrone soup is a thick soup of Italian origin, made with vegetables such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, and celery, and often beans, pasta, or rice. There’s no single Italian recipe for minestrone, and instead you’ll find different versions throughout the country, depending on the region, the season, and the individual cook’s preferences. It’s one of those dishes that you can make with just about any vegetables that you have on hand!
This Southern recipe is a simple twist on classic Minestrone soup, with the addition of pork sausage, okra (instead of green beans or zucchini), collard greens (instead of spinach), and pinto beans and black-eyed peas (instead of white beans and kidney beans). Each bowl is delicious with a piece of skillet cornbread for dipping, or with buttermilk biscuits to soak up any extra broth. It’s nourishing, flavorful comfort food for cold winter days!
The Difference Between Minestrone Soup and Vegetable Soup
A traditional minestrone soup recipe is just a “bulked up,” heartier version of vegetable soup. In addition to plenty of veggies, you’ll also find beans and pasta in Minestrone soup.
Why is the soup called minestrone?
The word minestrone, which means “big soup,” comes from the Italian minestra, which means “soup.” The origins of the word are Latin — minestrare meaning “to serve” food and drink.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that go into a Southern minestrone soup recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Ground pork sausage: I went with a mild country sausage here, but you can substitute with just about any smoky meat that you enjoy. See my notes below for suggestions.
- Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic: fresh vegetables that add so much flavor and texture to the soup.
- Chicken broth: vegetable broth works fine, too!
- Collard greens: sub with turnip greens, kale, or spinach if you prefer.
- Black-eyed peas and pinto beans: these are commonly used in Southern cooking, but any canned beans will work in this recipe.
- Petite-diced tomatoes: with their juices.
- Okra: fresh or frozen okra is fine. You can also swap out the okra for frozen corn, diced zucchini, or frozen cut green beans instead.
- Kosher salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme: add great flavor to the soup.
- Pasta: pick a small shape such as ditalini, small shells, or even broken pieces of spaghetti. The pasta cooks right in the pot of soup, so there’s no need to boil it separately.
- Apple cider vinegar: a touch of acid brightens up the dish.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
This hearty soup comes together easily on the stovetop in just one pot! I’ve included the complete instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the quick version:
- Brown the sausage.
- Sauté the veggies in the sausage drippings.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, greens, and broth.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 10-15 more minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Serving Suggestions
A warm bowl of this cozy, easy soup goes well with any of these sides:
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Wedge Salad
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Bread or One-Bowl Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread (No Yeast, No Knead) or Honey Beer Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- A loaf of crusty bread, such as Dutch Oven Bread, No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or French Baguette
Preparation and Storage
- Make Ahead: Prepare the soup through Step 3 (do not add the pasta). Cool the broth and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, bring the soup to a simmer, add the pasta, and follow the rest of the recipe.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month; however, cooked pasta may be mushy when frozen and reheated.
- How to Reheat: Warm leftovers in a covered saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat, just until heated through. Do not overcook or the pasta will become mushy. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Variations
- I use a mild country pork sausage here, but you can substitute with just about any smoky meat that you enjoy. Try smoked sausage sliced into rounds, andouille sausage, Italian sausage, or even 5-6 strips of thick-cut bacon. You might also prefer diced ham, a smoked ham hock, ground turkey, or pancetta. If using a ham hock, just sauté the veggies in olive oil (rather than drippings) and add the hock to the pot of soup with the broth.
- Instead of collard greens, sub with turnip greens, kale, or spinach if you prefer. When using spinach, wait to add it at the very end since the leaves will wilt as soon as they hit the hot broth.
- Swap out the black-eyed peas and pinto beans for any canned beans that you like. Other good options include navy beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black beans, and kidney beans.
- Don’t care for okra? Use frozen corn, diced zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower florets, or frozen cut green beans instead.
- Try other fresh or dried herbs. Additional options include fresh rosemary, basil, and chives. A bay leaf is also a great addition to the broth.
Tips for the Best Minestrone Soup Recipe
- Simmer the soup with a Parmesan rind for even more flavor in the pot. Remove the rind before serving.
- Don’t overcook the noodles or they will become mushy in your soup. Add them to the pot just before you’re ready to serve.
- The total cooking time for the pasta will depend on the size and shape that you choose. Ditalini typically needs about 10-15 minutes in the simmering broth, but keep an eye on it and turn off the heat when the pasta is just barely tender. It will continue to soften and plump up as it sits in the hot soup.
- Taste and season as you go. The total amount of salt necessary will vary depending on the saltiness of your broth, and on personal preference. Add extra salt for more flavor, and feel free to increase the other herbs and seasonings as well.
- Garnish each bowl with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese, a dollop of pesto, or fresh herbs for the best flavor.
More Southern Soup Recipes to Try
Ham and Potato Soup
55 minutes mins
Sausage and Bean Soup
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumpling Soup
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Southern Minestrone Soup
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Hearty, healthy, and satisfying, this Southern minestrone soup is a cozy, one-pot supper for chilly days!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork sausage
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced or pressed fresh garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2-3 cups chopped collard greens
- 1 (16 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cut okra (or sub with frozen cut green beans, diced zucchini, corn, or other vegetables of choice)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese; chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley or thyme)
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, cook pork sausage over medium-high heat until browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pot.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot with the drippings. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 1 more minute.
- Return the sausage to the pot. Stir in the broth, greens, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, okra, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat to low, and gently simmer (uncovered) for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables and greens are soft.
- Add pasta, and continue simmering the soup for about 10-15 more minutes, or until the pasta is al dente (just barely tender). Remove from the heat. Stir in the vinegar. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and additional fresh herbs.
Notes
-
- The total cooking time for the pasta will depend on the size and shape that you choose. Ditalini typically needs about 10-15 minutes in the simmering broth, but keep an eye on it and turn off the heat when the pasta is just barely tender. It will continue to soften and plump up as it sits in the hot soup.
-
- Taste and season as you go. The total amount of salt necessary will vary depending on the saltiness of your broth, and on personal preference. Add extra salt for more flavor, and feel free to increase the other herbs and seasonings as well.
- I use a mild country pork sausage here, but you can substitute with just about any smoky meat that you enjoy. Try smoked sausage sliced into rounds, andouille sausage, Italian sausage, or even 5-6 strips of thick-cut bacon. You might also prefer diced ham, a smoked ham hock, ground turkey, or pancetta. If using a ham hock, just sauté the veggies in olive oil (rather than drippings) and add the hock to the pot of soup with the broth.
- Swap out the black-eyed peas and pinto beans for any canned beans that you like. Other good options include navy beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black beans, and kidney beans.
- Don’t care for okra? Use frozen corn, diced zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower florets, or frozen cut green beans instead.
- Try other fresh or dried herbs. Additional options include fresh rosemary, basil, and chives. A bay leaf is also a great addition to the broth.
- Instead of collard greens, sub with turnip greens, kale, or spinach if you prefer. When using spinach, wait to add it at the very end since the leaves will wilt as soon as they hit the hot broth.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 14gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 985mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2204IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 3mg
Thought I’d mention. For other recipes, I had no luck for a long time looking for very small pasta in the pasta section. One day, I was in the Hispanic foods aisle and THERE was the small pasta! Alphabet pasta; rings, as in this recipe; small shells; teeny tiny dinosaurs and so on. I believe there is a tradition in the Southwest about making chicken soup for children with small pasta. I hadn’t thought of the small pastas being in the ethnic foods. I had always assumed they should be with the other pastas.
I’m re-submitting my original comment here. As I remarked on your Savannah Shrimp and Rice recipe, I had noticed you are not responding as quickly as usual which is really a bonus on your great blog. I thought maybe the house renovations were interfering your internet and you were not recieving the comments for some reason. Thanks!
Thanks for the tip!
Do you have instructions to make this in a crockpot?
Hi, Debra. I’ve never tried it in a slow cooker, but it would probably be fine. I just don’t have specific times to share. I would brown the sausage in a skillet first, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except the pasta and vinegar. Cover and cook until the veggies are tender (maybe 4-6 hours on LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH?). Then add the pasta and vinegar at the end, cooking just until the pasta is tender (maybe 10-30 minutes?). Let us know if you give it a try!