Follow Martha Stewart's Rule For The Best Bowl Of Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is often dubbed the "poor man's soup." It was a meal born out of necessity and originally made with whatever leftovers peasants had on hand. To this day, it is still one of the most versatile soups you can make when it comes to ingredients. A modern-day version of this hearty, thick vegetable soup usually contains seasonal veggies, onions, carrots, tomatoes, pasta or rice, and either canned or dried beans. Yet as adaptable as this meal is, that last ingredient — the beans — can make or break your bowl of soup. This is why Martha Stewart says if you are going to use dried beans, you need to follow this one rule: Do not add salt while they are initially cooking and softening up. 

In a video demonstration, Stewart explains that adding salt can interfere with how the beans soften, causing them to toughen, and as a result, potentially ruin your favorite minestrone soup recipe. Instead, she cooks them with some fatty, chopped-up prosciutto ends, which adds a savory depth of flavor as they reach whatever consistency you enjoy — al dente or creamy and tender, but just not mushy. Of course, while she doesn't add salt at this stage of her recipe, that doesn't mean the domestic diva doesn't add this seasoning to her minestrone at all. 

Martha Stewart waits and salts her minestrone once all the veggies have been added to the broth. Salt is, after all, the great taste enhancer. Its sole purpose is to amplify the layers of flavor the ingredients have already created as the soup cooks. Being patient and sprinkling the sodium at this point of the cooking process, when the broth has reduced and the flavors have fully concentrated, gives a cook greater control over just how salty the broth and veggies are going to be. Of course, you don't want your soup to be watery and bland, but remember it is easier to add more salt than to try to remove it. 

Additionally, Stewart ensures the beans don't get mushy by following this tip: She adds them to the crushed tomato-filled broth at the very end of cooking. This is because acids can change their consistency if added too early. Once you master the cookbook author's salt rule, try Stewart's pesto sauce upgrade for minestrone soup. This is a finishing touch that separates a good bowl of minestrone from a great bowl. She uses it like some people use sour cream to top soup. A dollop of this sauce adds flavor and a rich texture to your soup.