Italian Potato-Pasta Soup With Greens

Name: Italian Potato-Pasta Soup With Greens
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for garnish; 2 cups diced onion; 1 cup diced carrot; 1 cup diced fennel or celery; Salt and pepper; 1 bay leaf; 1 large thyme sprig; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons paprika; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 3 quarts/12 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water; 2 pounds medium-size starchy potatoes, such as Yukon Golds or russets, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks; 8 ounces kale or chard, stems removed, leaves sliced across into 1/2-inch ribbons (about 4 cups total); 1/2 pound dried pennette, orecchiette or other small pasta; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or marjoram, for garnish; Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

By David Tanis

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(1,160)
Comments: Read comments

Some soups are light and refreshing preludes to a meal; others, like this one, are an entire meal in a bowl. Pasta and potatoes, like pasta and beans, are frequently combined in Italian vegetable dishes. The potatoes should be starchy, like Yukon Golds or russets, so that they lend body to the broth. Short pasta shapes add texture; onion, fennel, garlic, tomato paste and fresh herbs and greens add flavor. The soup may be made a day or so before serving: It improves in the refrigerator and reheats beautifully, but don’t add the pasta in this case until serving.

Featured in: A Satisfying Soup From the Italian Pantry

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for garnish
2cups diced onion
1cup diced carrot
1cup diced fennel or celery
Salt and pepper
1bay leaf
1large thyme sprig
2garlic cloves, minced
2teaspoons paprika
2tablespoons tomato paste
3quarts/12 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
2pounds medium-size starchy potatoes, such as Yukon Golds or russets, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
8ounces kale or chard, stems removed, leaves sliced across into ½-inch ribbons (about 4 cups total)
½pound dried pennette, orecchiette or other small pasta
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or marjoram, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
In a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onion, carrot and fennel, stir, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the heat to prevent vegetables from browning or scorching.
Step 2
Stir in bay leaf, thyme sprig, garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, potatoes and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a brisk simmer. Cook until potatoes are cooked through but still firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Step 3
Stir in kale and pasta and simmer another 10 minutes, or until greens are well cooked and pasta is done. (Soup can be made up to this point, without the pasta, cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Step 4
Ladle soup into bowls, and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and Parmesan. Drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of olive oil. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,160 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

MaryAnn G7 years ago

Adding a rind from parmesan or romano cheese adds a lot to the soup-grandmother used to make it and in her broken english called it "pasta padon". We always found it a welcome treat over the pasta fagioli, which we had once a week. The macaroni used was always ditali. And the green of choice was escarole (the green leaves, the tender ones went into the salad). We didn't know about kale in the last century!

Kate C.7 years ago

If you are Italian, escarole is the green of choice for this soup.

Charles Michener7 years ago

Not to get fussy, but even in a soup I like my veggies to have texture, not mushy, and my pasta al dente. I would cook only the onion and fennel at the start (plus minced garlic), then add potatoes and carrots and stock, plus spices, to simmer until just shy of al dente, then finish with a handful or two of pasta. Kale cooked this way turns slimy; go with chard, escarole or spinach (last minute). The rosemary needs some time in the pot to soften.

Elizabeta2 years ago

Great hardy meal, will cook it again!

DanKC2 years ago

This was perfect on a chilly April evening. Filling, comfort ing and the flavors came together well in a short amount of time. Used smoked paprika and threw in some fresh basil leftover from another meal plus a few sprigs of thyme. Cooked a little ground Italian sausage on the side and put in at the end. Use a half box of Barilla’s Campanelle pasta and cut up small yellow potatoes. Looking forward to leftovers for lunches this week!

KG2 years ago

This recipe makes a massive amount of soup. I usually halve the recipe when I cook.

Private comments are only visible to you.