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.
Vibrant and flavorful, this Spring Herb Soup makes the most of fresh herbs. It’s easy to make and delish. Give this recipe a go, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Totally slayed it! This soup’s my fam's fave! So delish, I'm stoked!
This soup is a belter! Made it for family dinner, and it was gobbled up. Fresh herbs bring a lush vibe. Defo doing it again.
This Spring Herb Soup is super tasty. Made it last weekend, and everyone loved it. The fregola gives it a nice chewy vibe, plus the pancetta is a must for flavor. Will def make again.
OMG! This Spring Herb Soup is to die for! I made it for my hubby and it was gone in minutes! The fregola is such a cool twist. Plus, who knew soup could be so fancy? I added my own twist with some lemon zest and it was a hit! A must-try for sure!
Delicious! Made it for our spring picnic, everyone loved it
Superb fresh soup
Amazing. I made this soup for my friends and everyone loved it. The flavors are so fresh, it reminds me of my summer in Italy. The pancetta gave it a perfect touch, making it a great dish for gatherings.
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.
Superb soup taste. My kids loved it. We made it for a family dinner and the fresh herbs made all the difference. Everyone was happy, even the picky eaters. Will definitely make again.
Delicious!
Delicious. Made it for my friends and we loved it.
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!
Super tasty soup, felt like summer vibes
