The Embrace of Home:
Rustic Soup with Borlotti Beans, Sausage, and Broccolini
Some recipes are made not just of ingredients, but of memories.
And for me, this Rustic Soup with Fresh Borlotti Beans, Sausage, and Broccolini is the very embodiment of home.
I remember perfectly the high school days: the long 1.9-mile walk from the bus stop, 3 PM in the afternoon, hunger knocking hard.
But as soon as I crossed the kitchen threshold, I knew Thursday was the magical day.
I found her, my mother, waiting for me.
It was just the two of us at that moment, and she welcomed me with a steaming ladle in hand, inviting me to sit down, forget the day, and enjoy the hot soup.
She stayed there with me, chatting, without eating, until I asked for seconds.
A ritual that repeated for many years.
Today, work has placed 870 miles between me and that aroma.
But the blessing is that when I visit her, my mom wants me to choose and write the menu for each single day.
And guess what?
This is the most requested dish!
Without her, nothing would have the same meaning in describing one of the most magical moments of my return home.
Preparing this soup today is a way to erase the distances and relive that warmth.
It’s a hearty, rich, and substantial dish, but above all, it’s the only recipe capable of warming the heart, one spoon at a time.
Make yourselves comfortable and let’s cook it together.
You’ll immediately smell the scent of home.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, Autumn
- Energy 225.36 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 21.73 (g) of which sugars 2.40 (g)
- Proteins 13.53 (g)
- Fat 9.51 (g) of which saturated 1.87 (g)of which unsaturated 3.15 (g)
- Fibers 4.95 (g)
- Sodium 535.53 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 440 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs fresh borlotti beans
- 5.3 oz sausage meat
- 3.5 oz bacon
- 7.1 oz broccoli
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 6.3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 g coarse salt
- 7.1 oz pasta (Short)
Tools
- Casseroles Zjyugy
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spoon
Steps
Preparing the Ingredients
Let’s start with the basics:
If using fresh beans (shelled), set them aside. Clean and cut the broccoli into even pieces. Prepare the meat mix: chop the fresh bacon and break up the sausage meat (or sausage). Finely chop the carrot and celery for the soffritto and peel the garlic (if you choose to use it).
The Flavor Base (Meat)
Let’s create the rich taste base:
In a tall pot (or deep pan), pour a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Brown the bacon over medium heat.
As it starts to brown, add the sausage meat and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
Once the meat is well browned, deglaze with half a glass of red wine.
Let the alcohol evaporate completely.
Add the carrot, celery, and garlic (if using).
Beans and Two-Phase Cooking
This is the longest step, but here is where the heart of the soup is created:
Wilt the vegetables with the meat for a few minutes and then add the tomato paste, mixing well.
Immediately after, add the shelled beans.
Cover everything with hot broth and put the lid on.
Let it cook for about 30 minutes or until the beans are tender but still firm.
Only at this point, add the broccoli.
Cook for another 20 minutes until the broccoli are tender as well.
Adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
The Pasta
Let’s prepare the final unique dish:
When the beans and broccoli are tender, add the pasta to the pot.
Add more hot broth if needed to allow the pasta to cook completely in the soup’s liquid.
Once the pasta is cooked, remove the soup from the heat.
Rest and Plating
The golden moment before serving:
Let the soup rest with the pot covered for at least 5 minutes.
This will allow the flavors and aromas to blend perfectly.
Plate the Rustic Soup while still steaming, adding a drizzle of EVO oil and another pinch of black pepper (and fresh thyme if desired).
Tasting and Enjoying
Taste and enjoy every spoonful of this rich dish, maybe accompanied by a good glass of young red like a Chianti Classico or a Sangiovese from Romagna.
Its freshness and soft tannins will cleanse the palate from the salty part of the meat.
Cheers!
💡 Useful Tips, Variations, and Recipe Notes
Storage Tips
This soup, like all legume and meat-based dishes, is fantastic even reheated the next day!
In the Fridge: Let the soup cool completely.
Transfer it to airtight containers and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Important Note: The pasta will continue to absorb the broth.
When reheating, always add a bit of hot vegetable broth to bring back the right consistency.
In the Freezer: You can freeze the soup, but it’s advisable to do so before adding the pasta.
Freeze only the base (beans, meat, and broccoli) and add fresh pasta when defrosting and reheating. It keeps for up to 3 months.
Ideas for Variations
Want to give your soup a different twist?
Here are some ideas:
Vegetarian/Vegan Version:
To transform the dish, eliminate the bacon and sausage meat.
Use instead dried porcini mushrooms (soaked) and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to give depth and an alternative “rustic” flavor.
Vegetable Variation:
Instead of broccoli, you can use kale (which has a similar cooking time) or turnip greens (to be added in the last 15 minutes).
Spicy Twist: For those who love some heat, add a pinch of fresh or dried chili pepper along with the garlic and bacon to give a warming note.
Additional Notes
Bean Substitution: If you can’t find fresh beans to shell, you can use canned borlotti or cannellini beans.
In this case, 15 minutes of cooking instead of cooking them for 30 minutes.
Creamy: If you want a thicker broth, you can take a ladle of cooked beans and blend them with an immersion blender, reintroducing the puree into the soup before adding the pasta.
❓ FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about the Rustic Soup
Does the recipe work if I use dried borlotti beans?
Yes, absolutely.
If you use dried borlotti beans (about 5.3 oz), it is essential to soak them in cold water overnight (at least 8-12 hours).
Cooking times may extend to 60-70 minutes, so always taste the beans before adding the broccolini and pasta.
What can I use if I can’t find broccolini?
If you can’t find broccolini, you can replace it with other robust vegetables like kale, savoy cabbage cut into strips, or regular broccoli florets.
The cooking time remains similar, so you can add them at the same moment (after the first cooking of the borlotti beans).
Does the soup thicken too much when I reheat it?
Yes, it’s typical!
Since the pasta continues to absorb the broth as it cools, when reheating, always add a bit of hot vegetable broth or hot water, stirring until you reach the desired thickness.
Can I make this soup creamy?
Absolutely.
For a creamy soup, before adding the pasta, take about two ladles of soup (with beans and broth) and blend them with an immersion blender.
Reintroduce the puree into the pot to make the liquid dense and velvety.
