6 Nonna-Style Vegetable Soups
Want vegetable soups with a little more substance? These six recipes pair seasonal vegetables with rice, beans, or barley, with practical tips for each.
Vegetable Soups With Italian Roots
Herbs, tender vegetables, and the occasional smoky note give these soups their homey character. Start with a seasonal vegetable soup, then explore combinations featuring potatoes, leafy greens, and pumpkin.
Vegetable soup
Vegetable soup brings rosemary and bay to a hot, generous mix of seasonal vegetables. You can change the vegetables throughout the year rather than reserve this recipe for cold weather. Pumpkin and carrots lend sweetness, while borlotti beans give each spoonful more substance.
Pro tip: you can add a Parmigiano Reggiano rind near the end of cooking for extra flavor.
Rice and Potato Soup
Rice and Potato Soup pairs rice with the mellow richness of potatoes for a satisfying cold-weather first course. The recipe uses vegetable broth and tomato purée as its base. Basil adds a fresh note alongside the savory Grana Padano cheese.
Pro tip: you can use Arborio or Roma rice instead of Carnaroli for this soup.
Legume and Grain Soup
Legume and Grain Soup gets its hearty texture from beans, lentils, and chewy grains. Serve it as a first course or let it stand on its own for dinner. Sage, rosemary, and bay bring an herbal lift to the earthy mixture.
Pro tip: you can use a packaged legume-and-grain mix, following its soaking and cooking instructions.
Cabbage and pumpkin soup
Cabbage and pumpkin soup brings a creamy texture to the autumn table, with savoy cabbage alongside sweet pumpkin. Barley gives this first course more substance without taking the focus off the vegetables. Parmesan and rosemary add savory depth to the pumpkin's sweetness.
Pro tip: you can swap barley for farro, checking the package for cooking times.
Escarole and Potato Soup
Escarole and Potato Soup balances leafy greens with the mellow richness of potatoes. Bread and Caciocavallo Silano cheese accompany this vegetable-broth soup, making it a generous choice for a family table. Garlic and peperoncino give its old-fashioned character a sharper edge.
Pro tip: you can add a piece of pork rind along with the potatoes for a bolder flavor.
Barley Minestrone Soup
Barley Minestrone Soup combines chewy pearl barley with finely diced vegetables and the smoky richness of pancetta. This traditional recipe from Trentino-Alto Adige uses meat broth, setting it apart from the vegetable-broth soups here. Chives add freshness against the savory Grana Padano cheese.
Pro tip: you can replace the pancetta with a ham bone or a piece of ham hock.
