Michigan Minestrone Soup

This isn’t your typical light Italian minestrone. This Midwestern version loads up with crispy bacon, sliced salami, and dried lima beans that soak overnight and cook until creamy. It’s a full-meal soup that sticks to your ribs on a cold Michigan evening.

Starting with dried beans instead of canned makes a real difference in texture and flavor. The overnight soak followed by a 30 to 45 minute simmer gives you beans that are tender but still hold their shape, with a creaminess canned beans can’t match. They also release starch into the broth that naturally thickens the soup.

The bacon goes in first, cooked until crisp. Its rendered fat becomes the cooking oil for the aromatics. Onion, garlic, celery, and carrot get a 5-minute sweat in that smoky fat, building a savory base that no amount of olive oil alone can replicate.

Shredded cabbage and salami add bulk and richness. Bay leaves, marjoram, and rosemary simmer in the broth for 45 minutes, infusing the whole pot with a woodsy, herbal warmth. Remove the herb sprigs before serving with crusty bread.

Chef Tips

• Boil the soaked beans for a full 10 minutes before simmering. This neutralizes compounds in dried beans that can cause digestive discomfort.
• Chop all vegetables finely so they cook evenly and fit on a spoon with the beans and meat.
• Add salt toward the end of cooking. Salting too early toughens the lima beans.
• This soup tastes even better reheated the next day after the flavors have deepened.

Variations

• Use cannellini or navy beans if you can’t find dried lima beans.
• Add a Parmesan rind to the simmering broth for extra savory depth.
• Stir in cooked small pasta like ditalini in the last 10 minutes for a heartier bowl.