Meaty Brussel Sprout Minestrone
Minestrone is normally a pre-dinner soup, but when you add lots of meaty goodness and hearty brussel sprouts you end up with something more substantial that can be the main focus of any meal! This in a bowl of pure comfort. Add lots of parmesan cheese and a nice piece of crusty bread and you have a perfect weeknight dinner!
The inspiration for this recipe
I was really craving a hearty warming meal on Sunday and I just got a nice new bowl so soup was pretty much inevitable. Classic flavors were what I was looking for, just lots of veggies, meat, and beans in a tomatoey broth. I was trying to actually do a twist on how my grandmother makes Pasta y Fagioli, but instead I ended up with more of a meaty brussel sprout minestrone situation. It didn’t matter, because both of these types of soups are best when you don’t follow a recipe and just add all the things in your fridge and pantry until you are happy with the flavors. And happy I was. I have been eating leftovers all week!
Cook the meat first
Chicken and beef in the pot first. Brown ’em up and take ’em out. Notice the chicken is still whole chicken thighs. After the chicken simmers in the soup we will chop it up!
Build the base of the brussel sprout minestrone
After the meat comes out add in the veggies. Onion, carrot, and lots of brussel sprouts. You really want to get some brown on the veggies in this stage because it adds a nice flavor to the final dish.
Add the liquids
Canned tomato, parm, and oregano next. Add in the beans and get the meat back in there. Let it simmer for an hour or so. Then fish out the chicken and chop it up a bit. It should shred nicely as you chop it.
Just before it is done, cook the pasta right in there. My grandmother would boil the pasta and keep it separate until serving, and while I normally do that I was feeling lazy and the semi overcooked noodles in the soup made it feel extra comforting to me for some reason.
Serve the meaty brussel sprout minestrone
Add it to a bowl and top with lots more parm! This isn’t exactly the best way to showcase my friend Jeremy’s bowl in pictures, but at least I got to break it in!
The soup was pure flavor and warmth in a bowl though. Just what I was hoping for! It is almost like an italian chili in a way, with all the meat and beans in there, but the abundance of brussel sprouts gave it that unique twist I am always looking for.
Twists on this recipe
You could make this meaty brussel sprout minestrone with sausage too. You could replace one of the meats with sausage, or just add it in with the beef and chicken! Or go in the opposite direction and make it vegetarian with some veggie meat replacements.
For a more traditional minestrone, check out this recipe.
If you want more fun soup ideas, check out my meatball parm soup, coconut broccoli coconut noodles, or this chorizo squash soup.
Meaty Brussel Sprout Minestrone
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 pounds brussel sprouts cleaned and shredded
- 42 ounces canned diced tomatoes 3 14oz cans
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 cup grated parm
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 can pink beans strained and rinsed
- 1/3 pound pastina
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brown the beef and whole chicken thighs with some salt and pepper in a large dutch oven with some olive oil. Remove from the pan after you get some color on the meats.
- Add in some more oil if needed and add in the onion, brussel sprouts, and carrot. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook about 10 minutes on high to really get some color on the veggies.
- Add in the stock and tomatoes and scrape the bottom of the bowl to get any browned bits off the pot and into the soup.
- Add the beans, oregano, and cheese as well. Add the meat back to the pot. Simmer about an hour stirring once in awhile.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and chop/shred it a bit
- Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.