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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried, peeled fava beans
  • 1/2 cup dried borlotti beans
  • 1/3 cup dried chickpeas
  • 7 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 tsp garlic, chopped
  • 1 can/package passata
  • 3 potatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped fennel
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
  • 2/3 cup couscous
  • 1 pinch salt
  • A pinch of pepper
  • Pecorino Romano for garnish

👨‍🍳 Preparation

  • 1
    Soak legumes: Soak fava beans, borlotti beans, and chickpeas in plenty of water for 8–16 hours (overnight). Then drain and rinse well.
  • 2
    Sauté vegetables: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds.
  • 3
    Add tomatoes, potatoes, fennel, herbs, and the drained legumes. Fill with 6–8 cups of water, so everything is covered by about 2–3 cm. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently, uncovered, for about 1.5 hours until the beans are soft. Add more water if needed.
  • 4
    Add pasta: Stir in fregola (or couscous), salt, and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
  • 5
    Serve: Add 1 tbsp olive oil to each soup bowl, pour in the minestrone, and sprinkle with freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

Ingredients