Soup Palermo Style
Submitted by wishjini
Hearty Sicilian soup with dried chestnuts, kidney beans, and rice simmered low and slow in a rustic broth with olive oil and aromatics. A stick-to-your-ribs bowl straight from the streets of Palermo.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
8 hrsCOOK
1 hrsREADY
9 hrsStraight from the heart of Sicily, this rustic Palermo-style soup is the kind of humble, belly-warming dish that has fed families for generations.
Dried chestnuts and kidney beans soak overnight, then simmer together until they practically melt into a thick, starchy broth.
Rice goes in toward the end, absorbing all those earthy flavors and giving the soup a porridge-like richness that coats the back of your spoon.
A generous pour of olive oil ties it all together with that golden Sicilian warmth.
Nothing fancy here, just honest ingredients cooked with patience.
Kitchen Tips
- Soak the beans and chestnuts together overnight in plenty of cold water. They need the full soak to cook evenly.
- Stir constantly once the rice goes in. It releases starch and thickens the soup beautifully, but it will stick to the bottom if you walk away.
- Lentils work as a quick substitute for kidney beans and skip the overnight soak entirely.
- Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil on top.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak beans and chestnuts overnight, drain.
Place in large kettle with 3 quarts of cold water.
Add celery and onions. Simmer until beans and chestnuts are soft (about 1½ hours).
Add rice, oil, and seasonings.
Stir constantly with wooden spoon, until rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
If necessary, add more water as it is absorbed by the rice.
Serve immediately.
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