Ticino Minestrone with Rice (Minestrone Ticinese)

The hearty Ticino classic — a thick vegetable and bean minestrone enriched with smoked pancetta and finished with risotto rice, served with a shower of Parmigiano and parsley.

Amount	Ingredient
5¼ oz (150 g)	dried borlotti beans
2	bay leaves
5¼ oz (150 g)	smoked pancetta (in one piece)
1	onion
2	garlic cloves
8	fresh sage leaves
7 oz (200 g)	savoy cabbage
5¼ oz (150 g)	carrots
3½ oz (100 g)	leek
3½ oz (100 g)	celery stalks
2 tbsp	tomato concentrate
1¾ qt (1.75 L)	vegetable broth
5¼ oz (150 g)	potatoes, floury
7 oz (200 g)	tomatoes
5¼ oz (150 g)	risotto rice
4 tbsp	grated Parmigiano
4 sprigs	flat-leaf parsley
	fine salt, black pepper

The Ticinese minestrone is the Swiss-Italian answer to winter: beans pre-boiled with bay, pancetta rendered into golden batons, then a full garden of vegetables — savoy cabbage, carrots, leek, celery, potatoes, and tomatoes — simmered in broth with sage and garlic. The rice goes in near the end, cooking into the soup until it's thick and satisfying. It's a meal in a bowl, crowned with Parmigiano.

Ingredient notes: The pancetta rind is cooked with the soup and removed before serving — it adds depth. Beans are pre-boiled with bay for 30 minutes. The rice goes in near the end so it stays al dente in the thick soup.

• Large pot (for the beans)
• Large soup pot
• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon

1. Pre-boil the beans (30 min). Boil the borlotti beans briefly in boiling water with the bay leaves for about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Prep the pancetta (5 min). Remove the rind from the pancetta and set it aside. Cut the pancetta into batons.
3. Render the pancetta (5 min). Brown the pancetta batons in a large soup pot. Lower the heat, add the chopped onion, garlic, and sage, and cook about 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables (5 min). Add the sliced savoy cabbage, carrots, leek, celery, and tomato concentrate, and cook about 5 minutes.
5. Simmer (20 min). Add the pancetta rind, pour in the broth, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
6. Finish (20 min). Add the beans, potatoes, tomatoes, and rice, and finish cooking about 20 minutes. Season to taste.
7. Serve (3 min). Remove the pancetta rind. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmigiano and chopped parsley.

• The rind is flavor. Cooking the pancetta rind in the soup adds depth — remove it before serving.
• Render the pancetta well. Golden batons add smoky richness to the whole pot.
• Rice at the end. It should stay al dente in the thick soup, not turn to mush.
• Sage and bay are essential. They give the minestrone its alpine character.
• Taste before salting. The pancetta and broth bring salt.
• Thick is right. A proper Ticinese minestrone is almost a stew.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Skipping the bean pre-boil	Hard beans	30-minute pre-boil with bay
Discarding the rind	Lost depth	Simmer it in, remove before serving
Rice too early	Mushy soup	Last 20 minutes only
Boiling hard	Broken vegetables	Gentle simmer
Over-salting	Pancetta is salty	Taste first
Thin soup	Not a Ticinese minestrone	Let it reduce; the rice thickens it

• Meatless Version: Skip the pancetta, use olive oil.
• Pumpkin Ticino: Add pumpkin cubes in season.
• Pasta Version: Swap the rice for small pasta.
• Herb Garden: Add fresh thyme or marjoram.
• Cheese Rind: Simmer a Parmigiano rind for extra richness.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days — it improves.
Freezer	Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating	Warm gently, adding a splash of broth or water.

Hearty and rustic, this pairs with:

• Merlot Ticinese — The local wine, a natural match.
• Pinot Nero — Light and food-friendly.
• Chardonnay (unoaked) — Round and gentle.
• Light lager — Easy and refreshing.

Per Serving (about 2 cups)
Calories	380
Protein	16 g
Fat	12 g
Carbohydrates	54 g
Fiber	9 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

What makes it "Ticinese"?

The Ticino version of minestrone is thicker and heartier than the classic, enriched with pancetta and finished with rice.

Why pre-boil the beans?

It softens them so they finish cooking perfectly with the vegetables and rice.

Can I use canned beans?

Yes — skip the pre-boil and add them with the rice.

Do I really add rice?

Yes — that's the Ticinese signature: risotto rice cooked into the soup for body.

How long does it keep?

Up to 4 days refrigerated — it genuinely tastes better the next day.

• Rice and Potato Soup (Volume 3)
• Risotto ai Porri (Volume 3)
• Risotto del Contadino (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.