Sardinian Longevity Minestrone

A blue zone recipe idea that I'm really liking lately that's naturally vegan and vegetarian.

Daffodils from the garden ^

I've been intrigued with the idea of the blue zones for a long time. Areas in the world where people live the longest. Usually, they are vegetarian, grain, and bean heavy areas. Yet, I am still to purchase the blue zone cookbook, which I am curious about, I decided that I would finally make this Sardinian longevity minestrone that I had read a lot about. This is really delicious.

The first time I made the minestrone, I only used 4 cups of water because the traditional recipe just uses water, but I thought that it had a very pronounced tomato flavor that way. So, the second time I used 8 cups of low sodium vegetable broth. 2 boxes. I added in 2 tablespoons of better than bouillon vegetable paste to every 4 cups of stock so I used 4 tablespoons total of the vegetable bouillon to make the broth even richer. You could very well do all water. You could do half water which would be one box of stock and then the rest water or you could add bullion to plain water. Your call.

You can vary this recipe depending on what you think you may like for yourself.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, feel free to drizzle more if you have a lot of cut up veg

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (I use 2)

• 3 large celery stalks, chopped

• 3 tbsp. Tomato paste

• 8 cloves garlic,minced

• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

• 1 sweet potato peeled and diced small (you could use a normal potato here and do 2 to 3)

• 1 fennel (bulb, stalks, and fronds), chopped

• 1-2 broccoli stems chopped (I use 2)

• 1 bunch cup italian flat leaf parsley, chopped including the stems (chopped finely) plus more for garnish

• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

• 1 15 oz. can fava beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 15 oz. can northern lights beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/3 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional) ( I added them.)

• 8 cups low sodium vegetable stock/broth (2 boxes) (Alternatively, you can use all water. That is the traditional way. Or half vegetable stock half water. But I like the flavor of the stock and bouillion)

• 4 tablespoons better than bouillion vegetable paste

• 1/2 cup to 1 cup Sardinian fregola, acini di pepe, or pastina (decrease to 1/2 cup if you don’t want as much pasta. I use a half cup)

• 2 Pinches of Maldon Sea Salt plus more to taste (depends greatly on if you used all water, no bouillion or no stock. And or added the preserved lemon. I did all 3. So i’m adding sparingly)

• ½ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste

• 1 cup pecorino cheese, freshly grated for garnish (obviously this makes it not vegan, omit if you like!)

5 lemons, halved for garnish

Preserved lemon cut into tiny bits mixed in to taste near or at the end (optional) 1/2 a lemon- 1)

Method

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat 3 tbs. of olive oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add onions, carrots, celery, broccoli stem, fennel. Saute for approximately 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

3. Scootch the vegetables to the side, creating a clear spot and add the tomato paste and garlic to the spot. Stir together until the garlic is fragrant (less than a minute), then mix in with the remaining vegetables. 2 mins. or until fragrant, being careful not to burn.

4. Add in the crushed tomatoes, potato, fresh parsley, fresh basil, beans. Add 8 cups (2 boxes low sodium vegetable broth and four tablespoons of Vegetable Better than Bouillion paste. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.

5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.

6. Add in the pasta and season with salt and pepper. Be mindful that the better than bouillion adds sodium/ salt. Taste as you season. If the soup is too thick, add 1-2 cups of water. ( I never have, but options!) Allow the soup to simmer for another 12 minutes or until the pasta is tender. (Think one night I did another 12 on top of that 12 minutes)

7. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into each off our serving bowls. Serve and garnish with a squeeze of lemon (optional, leave several for the group in the middle) a drizzle of olive oil. Divide the soup among them and top each with 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese.

Tip: You can vary the beans in the minestrone. You could use cranberry beans. Pinto beans make a good substitute for cranberry beans; great northern or cannellini beans, for the favas.

Tip: Use the stalks and fronds that come off a fennel bulb for the most intense flavor. No feathery fronds on the bulb? Add a teaspoon of fennel seeds to the aromatic vegetables you sauté to begin the dish.

Tip: Add other fresh vegetables from the garden or market, such as zucchini, cabbage, green beans, and cauliflower or broccoli florets.

Tip: You can use dried beans instead of canned. Soak the beans overnight (peel the favas, if you prefer them that way), increase cooking time to 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Other examples: 1⁄2 cup dried peeled fava beans, 1⁄2 cup dried cranberry beans, 1⁄3 cup dried chickpeas

Tip: It’s delicious with some small bits of preserved lemon cut up and mixed in.

Tip: Fregola is a small, peppercorn-sized Italian pasta that’s dried and toasted (and has a lovely multi-colored hue). If you can’t find fregola, substitute the similarly shaped Israeli couscous or another small pasta such as orzo or ditalini. Fresh Market sells fregola in Lexington, Kentucky.

Love the olive oil in the bowl trick ^

^ the first batch using only 4 cups water and 1/2 cup pasta and included 1/3 cup of canned chickpeas .

First batch that was thicker :

Second batch^ 8 cups vegetable broth which I like with the recipe as i’ve now written it.

Good enough for company now, I think. With some sour dough)

Let me know what you think of this one! I personally love that it’s packed with goodness.

Alex