Chicken of the Woods Minestra Soup
Easy recipe for a hearty, rich, comforting chicken of the woods minestra soup with smoked pork ribs and dumplings.
EQUIPMENT
- 1 large cooking pot
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g chicken of the woods mushrooms
- 250 g potatoes
- 250 g smoked pork ribs
- 120 g carrot
- 250 g cauliflower
- 150 g tomato
- 50 g parsley root
- 60 g cooked beans
- 100 g sweet corn
- 150 g flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp marjoram
- 1 bay leaf
Pin
Save
Print
Email
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the chicken of the woods by cutting it into small pieces or tearing it into strips. Unlike delicate mushrooms, it won’t absorb much water, so rinsing is fine.At the same time, dice the onion, crush the garlic, and slice the smoked ribs into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a large pot with a splash of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the chicken of the woods, garlic, and ribs, cooking for another minute or two to release their flavors.
- Chop the rest of the vegetables. Potatoes and cauliflower can be left in larger cubes for a chunkier soup, while carrots and tomatoes are better cut smaller so they blend smoothly into the broth.
- Tip all the vegetables into the pot and mix well so they coat in the flavors from the mushrooms and ribs.
- Pour in just enough water to cover the ingredients. Season with salt, pepper, and marjoram, then tuck in a bay leaf for extra aroma.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 40 minutes with the lid on. Give it a stir now and then. Once the carrots and parsley root are tender, add the beans and corn (unless you already used fresh corn earlier).
- While the soup cooks, make the dumplings. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, then add the flour and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined — a fork works perfectly and saves extra dishes.
- Keep the soup at a steady simmer and drop in small portions of dumpling batter (about a third of a teaspoon each). Let them cook for 2–3 minutes, or until they rise to the top.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, grab some bread, and enjoy a warming bowl of your delicious mushroom minestra soup!
NOTES
Pick young mushrooms – harvest chicken of the woods while the edges are still soft and rounded. Older specimens turn woody and styrofoam-like, and the flavor fades quickly.
Cook long enough – since chicken of the woods contains oxalic acid, make sure it simmers for at least 20 minutes so it’s both safe and enjoyable to eat.
Add quick-cooking items later – root vegetables like potatoes and carrots need more time, but beans, corn, and dumplings should go in near the end. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they’ll be ready.
Keep the heat gentle – minestra develops its best flavor when left to quietly bubble away on low heat, giving every ingredient time to release its aroma.
Use potatoes to thicken – mash a few cooked potato chunks and stir them back into the pot if you want a thicker, creamier soup.
Add other mushrooms – if you’ve been foraging, toss in chanterelles or black trumpets. They’re often in season at the same time and make the broth even richer.
Swap the meat – smoked pork or Carniolan sausage are great alternatives to ribs. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat entirely.
Be generous with vegetables – minestra is a “use what you have” kind of soup. Anything from the garden or fridge fits right in, and even fruit like pears can add a gentle sweetness.
Make it gluten-free – replace the wheat flour in the dumplings with corn or buckwheat flour for a naturally gluten-free version.
Make it vegan – leave out the meat and dumplings, and you’ll have a fully plant-based soup that’s still hearty and full of flavor.
Storage tip – minestra with chicken of the woods doesn’t keep long. Mushrooms break down when reheated, which can upset sensitive stomachs.
Don’t freeze the finished soup – instead, blanch the mushrooms and freeze them on their own. Cook a fresh pot of minestra when you’re ready.
Using frozen mushrooms – no need to thaw first - just drop them straight into the simmering pot.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1505mg | Potassium: 1361mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5279IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 8mg