In Italy, soups are quite thick, and everything else is called broths with the addition of either pasta or tortellini, etc. Italians in the winter season love soups that include legumes, rice, pasta, and more…
Often it’s either pasta and potatoes, pasta and beans, lentils, various grains, and so on… There are numerous options, but everything is interchangeable! And in this soup, you can replace beans, skip the bacon, and broth is also optional… all up to your preference! I usually go with what I have at home!
Here’s my version! You’ll need:
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Celery
- Pasta (preferably homemade)
- Onion
- Bay leaf
- Rosemary
- Pumpkin
- Broth or water
- Salt
- Parmesan and Parmesan rind
Finely chop the carrots, celery, and onion, and sauté them in olive oil in a pot. Add bacon if desired. Then add the pumpkin and sauté for a couple more minutes. After that, add precooked beans (semi-cooked is fine). Sauté everything together for a couple more minutes.
Next, add broth or water, then potatoes, bay leaf, and rosemary. Cook until the potatoes are done, then add the pasta. Cook everything together, and 10 minutes before the pasta is ready, add the Parmesan rind. This is the part of Parmesan that can’t be grated anymore, but it will give your soup an incredibly creamy consistency.
Cook for a few more minutes and turn off the heat. Cover with a lid and let the soup sit for 5-10 minutes, then serve! If the soup is too thick, feel free to add a bit of water. Sprinkle the soup with a little grated Parmesan before serving.
