Garmugia lucchese is an Italian Spring Soup that originated in the city of Lucca (Tuscany).
Contrary to the various Italian “poor dishes”, such as spaghetti aglio e olio or tonnarelli cacio e pepe, this Italian soup is a delicacy that in the past only wealthy people could afford.
Garmugia soup recipe dates back to the 17th century and features meat, spring vegetables and toasted bread as main protagonists of this dish.
Its name may derive from “germiglio” (Tuscan dialect for “sprout”), which could be a reference to the vegetables included in the ingredients.
As you will notice from the ingredients garmugia lucchese is a typical spring dish. Many people cook it for dinner as a natural remedy against spring colds.
So if you’re craving something warming for dinner tonight, read on to learn the recipe for this delicious, little-known spring soup.
How To Make Garmugia Tuscan Spring Soup – Step By Step
- In a large pot or dutch oven add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, spring onions and guanciale(pancetta) and cook medium low heat until the fat begins to melt.
- Add the ground meat.
- Let everything cook stirring often with a wooden spoon trying to break the meat.
- Start adding the vegetables. First, add the artichoke hearts. Let them soak up the flavors of the meat for a about a minute.
If you’re using fresh artichokes here’s a step by step process with pictures on How To Trim & Clean Fresh Artichokes easily.
- Pour in a couple of ladles of broth. If you don’t have broth use water but don’t forget to add salt to taste.
- Add fava beans and peas and cook until fava beans are half cooked (about 7-10 minutes).
NOTE: If you’re using frozen veggies they tend to cook a little longer so adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Add chopped asparagus (excluding the tips) and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Only when all the veggies are almost done add asparagus tips, as they cook very fast.
Serve garmugia hot or warm with toasted bread, which some people prefer to cut into cube before toasted. If you like you can also add drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.
Tips & Tricks
- You’ll get the best flavor if you use fresh veggies but you can also substitute some frozen veggies for fresh ones such as pea, fava beans or asparagus if they are not available.
- Substitute pancetta for guanciale in case you cannot find the latest.
- This soup is so rich and packed with veggies that instead of vegetable borth you can simply use bottled water. This way you can also save yourself some time and make this delicious spring soup is no time.
- Here you can find a step by step process with pictures on How To Clean & Trim Fresh Artichokes.
- Rub a clove of garlic against the toasted bread for flavor plus garlic is a great natural anti-inflammatory that helps clear the airways.
- Even though there’s a precise recipe to follow you can always change the ingredient ratio to your taste and to the veggies you have available. For example you can add a few more artichokes or use leek inasted of spring onions.
- Following this soup recipe you can slightly reduce the amount of liquid and omit the meat to turn it into a delicious side dish!
More Italian Soup Recipes To Try
- The Best Minestrone Soup Recipe – perfect for ALL seasons!
- Pastina Soup {Minestrina} – Italians often joke that pastina is an Italian “penicillin”. It’s a go-to soup when you feel under weather that makes in 10 minutes flat!
- Passatelli In Brodo [VIDEO] – simple poor mans pasta made with breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and eggs cooked in delicious hot broth.
A must-try! - Thick Escarole & Bean Soup – Thick, hearty and super simple to make.
- Ditalini Soup With Chickpeas & Bacon – Creamy, decadent, warming and utterly delicious.
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup With Mushrooms & Chestnuts – This cream of pumpkin soup is SO GOOD that you can easily make it without any mushroom and/or chestnuts. What I also love to do is to mix up the topping depending on what’s available. Sometimes toss in roasted pancetta, sometimes just mushrooms or nothing at all.
- Pappa Al Pomodoro {Tuscan Bread & Tomato Soup} – This Tuscan Bread & Tomato Soup is of a poor-man meal origin, but it’s one of the most luxurious comfort food you can make at home.
- Light & Creamy Tomato & Basil Soup – Don’t forget lots of toasted bread for dipping 😋
Love Italian Homemade Bread?
These go perfect with any soup!
- Homemade Ciabatta Bread {Step By Step}
- Tuscan Bread {Pane Toscano}
- Pagnotta {Italian Round Country Bread}
- Traditional Focaccia Bread {Focaccoa Genovese}
- Friselle Pugliesi {Twice Baked Italian Snack Bread}
Full Recipe
Garmugia {Spring Soup From Tuscany}
Ingredients
- 2-4 spring onions or scallions , sliced
- ⅔ cup asparagus , trimmed and roughly chopped (about 100g)
- ⅔ cup fresh fava beans (about 100 g)
- ¾ cup green peas (about 100 g)
- 2 artichokes , sliced or quartered
- ½ packed cup ground veal or beef
- ½ cup guanciale or pancetta
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt , pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, spring onions and guanciale (pancetta) and cook medium low heat until the fat begins to melt.
- Add the ground meat.
- Let everything cook stirring often with a wooden spoon trying to break the meat.
- Start adding the vegetables. First, add the artichoke hearts. Let them soak up the flavors of the meat for a about a minute.
- Pour in a couple of ladles of broth. If you don’t have broth use water and don’t forget to add salt to taste.
- Add fava beans and peas and cook until fava beans are half cooked (about 7-10 minutes).
- Add chopped asparagus (excluding the tips) and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Only when all the veggies are almost done add asparagus tips, as they cook very fast.
- Serve garmugia hot or warm with toasted bread, which some people prefer to cut into cube before toasted. If you like you can also add drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Buon Appetito!
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Saturday 15th of October 2022
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