Maritata soup

Name: Maritata soup
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 290 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Pork rind 450; Sausage 10.6 oz; Pork ribs 1.3 lbs; Pork trotter 1.1 lbs; Celery 1 rib; Onions 1; Carrots 1; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to grate to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Italian kale (cavolo nero) 1.5 lbs; Escarole (endive) 1.3 lbs; Chickory 17.6 oz; Chard 1.1 lbs

it de fr es br

645

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 645
Carbohydrates g 12.1
of which sugars g 12.1
Protein g 61.6
Fats g 39
of which saturated fat g 13.68
Fiber g 9.3
Cholesterol mg 182
Sodium mg 1680

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 4 h
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Minestra maritata is this traditional Italian soup that just brings everyone together. Especially in Naples during Christmas. It's called “married soup” because the meats and greens mix perfectly—like they’re totally meant for each other. In Campania, they stick to the classics: you'll find cavolo nero, cicoria, and scarola, all cooked down until they’re tender and soaking up that rich pork broth. And look, the real magic? It’s in the pork itself—think pork ribs, a bit of sausage, maybe some pork rind or pig’s trotter if you’re feeling adventurous. Seriously good. It gives the soup a moist, hearty vibe that's special. Especially when it's chilly.

There’s just something about the way the greens balance out the richness. Makes every spoonful so so comforting and full of flavor. Only a real Italian wedding soup can do that. Different families in Campania have their own spin—some add more crispy pork bits, others go heavy on the greens. The key? Let those flavors blend until you’ve got a soup that’s both tangy and super satisfying.

This dish is served at big family meals, especially for the holidays, but really, it’s great any time you want something that feels festive and warming. And you know, you won’t get this level of depth in just any meatball soup. It’s the slow-cooked pork and special Italian greens that make it stand out as a classic Italian soup. Even with a modern twist—maybe leaving out some old-school cuts—the golden, flavorful broth and all those tender greens stick around. If you’re after a bowl of something with real roots and a touch of celebration, minestra maritata is as authentic as it gets for anyone craving an authentic Italian wedding soup experience.

And next time you want to serve something really special, try this beloved Campanian dish. It’s a bowl full of warmth and tradition. For sure.

INGREDIENTS: Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Pork rind 450; Sausage 10.6 oz (300 g); Pork ribs 1.3 lbs (600 g); Pork 1.1 lbs (500 g) - trotter; Celery 1 rib; Onions 1; Carrots 1; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to taste - to grate; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Italian kale (cavolo nero) 1.5 lbs (600 g); Escarole (endive) 1.3 lbs (600 g); Chickory 17.6 oz (500 g); Chard 1.1 lbs (500 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Maritata soup

To prepare the maritata soup, roughly chop the celery, onion, and carrot 1, then place them in a large pot full of water and cook over low heat for a few minutes 2. Meanwhile, clean and cut the pork rind into pieces 3,

the sausage 4 and ribs, then cut the pork foot in half 5. Add the meat to the vegetables: first, place the ribs in the pot 6,

then the pork foot 7, the pork rind 8, the sausage 9, and let everything cook for about 3 hours over low heat; if necessary, add salt and pepper to taste.

From time to time, use a skimmer to remove the 'foam' that forms on the broth's surface during cooking 10. While the meat is cooking, clean and thoroughly wash the Swiss chard 11, curly endive 12,

Tuscan kale, and chicory 13, then roughly chop them, removing the harder parts, and set them aside 14. When the meat is well-cooked, turn off the heat, remove it from the pot, and strain the broth 15.

Let the broth cool slightly, then cover it with plastic wrap 16, and cool it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, clean the cooked meat, removing the bones and cutting it into smaller pieces 17. Here is how the meat should look when cut into pieces 18.

As soon as the broth has cooled, remove it from the fridge, skim off all the fat that has formed on the surface 19, and put it back on the stove to heat 20. Add the vegetables (Swiss chard, Tuscan kale, curly endive, and chicory) 21

and cook everything over medium heat for about half an hour, covered 22. When the vegetables are almost ready, add the meat 23, turn off the heat, and let the maritata soup rest for about half an hour 34. After the indicated time, you can serve the soup, still warm, perhaps accompanied by a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.

Storage

You can store the maritata soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Advice

If you don't like pork foot, you can replace it with a ham bone or simply add it to enrich your maritata soup.
It seems that in the original recipe for maritata soup, 'salsiccia pezzentella', a typical Campanian sausage made with pork meat scraps from salami production, was used.

Looking for another hearty and substantial soup? Try the recipe for the fairy tale soup!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.