Fall has really arrived in Texas now, with temperatures getting lower and lower.  Along with the cool weather comes the need for some warm, comforting dishes, including this quick and hearty Black Bean, Pasta, Bacon, and Vegetable Soup — which I call Brazilian Minestrone. If you have ever tasted a classic minestrone, I know you will become a fan of our soup.
Minestrone means “a big soup”… or a thick soup of Italian origin made with beans, pasta or rice, and vegetables such as onions, celery, carrots, and tomatoes.
Ours contains basically the same ingredients, but with a few variations. White beans have been replaced by black beans, a popular ingredient in Brazilian cuisine… and I have also added bacon to the soup (just as one would find in a feijoada).
Although this type of soup is known as ‘sopa de feijĂŁo com macarrĂŁo e verduras’ (black bean soup with pasta and vegetables), it is actually a variant of the Italian minestrone — well, at least this particular version of black bean soup.  I can only imagine that this must be due to the influence of Italian immigration in Southern Brazil.
I remember my mother used to make hers by pureeing either pinto bean or black bean leftovers in the blender and then cooking them with angel hair pasta — and oh how I used to love its comforting flavor.  But there is more than one version of black bean soup in Brazil. Most of them are made with pinto beans or black beans (pureed or not), a pasta of one’s choice, and other optional ingredients such as bacon, beef or sausage, and a variety of different vegetables.
Ours is definitely more similar to the Southern Brazilian version.
Well, enjoy a good bowl of our Brazilian minestrone soup accompanied by your favorite bread… and stay warm.
Brazilian Minestrone (Black Bean, Pasta, Bacon, and Vegetable Soup)
Ingredients
- 4-5 strips of thick sliced smoked bacon chopped
- 1/2 large yellow or white onion chopped
- 1/3 cup diced carrots (if using baby carrots, simply slice them into rounds)
- 1/3 cup diced celery
- 1 can black beans 26.5 oz/751 g, or homemade black bean leftovers
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup canned tomatoes and their juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup mezzi rigatoni pasta or any other small pasta of your choice such as macaroni or pasta shells
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped cilantro or parsley optional
Instructions
- In a medium to large non-stick saucepan, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and sweat them for about 3 to 5 minutes in the bacon fat. Add the carrots and celery and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beans, beef stock, tomatoes and their juice, salt and pepper to taste, pasta, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until pasta is cooked). Remove bay leaf and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro/parsley (if desired) and accompanied by bread. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
To make a vegetarian version of this Brazilian minestrone soup, omit bacon and add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of olive oil to the recipe in order to sauté vegetables. If desired, other vegetables can be added to this soup such as 1/3 cup of chopped potatoes, pumpkin, or butternut squash.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
October 20, 2015 at 1:22 pmYes to the comfort of a steaming hot bowl of homemade soup! Fall is slowly arriving in California and I’m ready to embrace all the season has to offer. The Brazilian Minestrone is such a wonderful autumn recipe!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
October 20, 2015 at 5:15 pmI prepare pasta and beans a lot but have never used the combination with black beans . Your Brazilian minestrone sounds great.
Raymund
October 21, 2015 at 1:36 amThis is definitely good for the coming cold days up there in the Northern Hemisphere.
Love this!
Little Cooking Tips
October 21, 2015 at 1:47 amMagnificent minestrone! We’d love to try black beans instead of the classic white beans in a minestrone soup, excellent recipe dear Denise! The Brazilian version looks delicious, filling and full of flavors! And the timing is perfect, since the weather has changed today, it’s raining and the temperature started dropping a bit:)
Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Lots of hugs!
xoxoxo
Sugar et al.
October 21, 2015 at 5:38 amIt’s certainly a beautiful bowl of comfort! I love that it is similar to the classic Minestrone. That’is one thing about Autumn….the bowl food and some bread. Great recipe Denise!
John/Kitchen Riffs
October 21, 2015 at 10:48 amI love black beans! And hearty soups. So of course I’m a fan of any soup that has black beans in it. And is hearty. 🙂 This looks wonderful — and so appropriate for the season. Thanks!
Amira
October 21, 2015 at 11:57 amI love Minestrone and this seems a new and interesting twist to the original one. Will sure be trying this soon as it is getting cold here.
Hadia
October 22, 2015 at 7:12 amThis looks so comforting and filling, Denise. I love black beans more than the white ones, The picture is so tempting too! Cheers!
Mi Vida en un Dulce
October 22, 2015 at 8:50 amOh, so you also have your own minestrone!!!
In Peru we have one too, but it is with white beans, and it’s green, because it has basil, a lot.
Fareeha
October 23, 2015 at 2:18 pmHi, Wow! I’m thinking that you really should do a video tutorial, your minestrone is amazing. Would love to be your neighbor.
Nusrat Azim
October 26, 2015 at 12:14 pmThat BIG, warm, gorgeous soup IS the way to celebrate Fall 🙂
Thank you for the hearty recipe. And those killer pictures!
Anna @ shenANNAgans
October 27, 2015 at 11:54 pmThe weather has been crazy down under, full on summer to full on winter in a matter of hours. Weather whiplash. This Brazilian minestrone sounds perfect for the cooler nights. I haven’t tried those black beans, what an interesting flavour they would add. Will add to the list and try for sure. Yumbo!!!
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
November 2, 2015 at 9:10 pm‘Yes’ to beans, ‘yes’ to bacon, ‘yes’ to your recipe!