This easy-to-make Spring Herb Soup with Fregola and pancetta beams with vibrancy and flavor. Inspired by a classic Sardinian soup, this brothy soup gets extra body and heft from the cannellini beans, crispy bits of pancetta and Fregola Sarda, and a hint of the Mediterranean from fresh parsley, tarragon, and chives. Fregola Sarda, a small pearl-shaped pasta originating in Sardinia, is similar to Israeli couscous but toasted in an oven. It is chewy and holds up well in soup. Instead of Fregola, which can be challenging to find, you can use Israeli couscous or orzo with equally delicious results.
This recipe calls for using dry white wine to make the rich and fragrant base of the soup, so don’t skip it. Make sure to serve each bowl of soup with a hefty sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over. Enjoy!
To make the Spring Herb Soup, you will need the following ingredients:
In a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add 4 ounces finely diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add 1 finely chopped onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 12 minutes.
Pour in ½ cup (4 ounce) dry white wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost completely reduced, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add 1 ¼ cups uncooked Fregola, 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley stems, 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, 2 to 4 minutes.
Pour in 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fregola is al dente, 14 to 16 minutes (or 8 to 10 minutes for orzo or couscous).
Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1 can drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Cook for about 2 minutes until heated through.
Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup finely chopped fresh chives, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh tarragon, and 1 ½ cups finely chopped parsley leaves. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Wow! This soup is a flavor explosion in my mouth!
Superb! This soup was a hit at dinner last night. My husband even went back for seconds, and he usually doesn’t do that! So fresh and creamy.
I whipped up this Spring Herb Soup last weekend and it was a hit! The fresh herbs made my kitchen smell bomb, plus my kids even ate their veggies! So easy to make too!
Super tasty soup!
Delicious soup took me back to my travels.
Perfect on rainy days.
By making this soup, I was really able to create a cozy and satisfying dish that is perfect for any time of year. Thanks!
