🇮🇹 Italian · Soup
🍲 Busecca Milanese
Busecca
Milan's own hearty tripe and bean soup, thick with vegetables and simmered for hours until deeply comforting, once so beloved it gave rise to the local nickname 'busecconi' for Milanese people.
Busecca differs from Rome's mint-forward trippa alla Romana by leaning instead on beans and a full vegetable base, resulting in a substantial, warming soup closer to minestrone in body than a typical braised tripe dish.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot with lid
- 800 g (1.75 lb) pre-cleaned honeycomb tripe, cut into strips
- 200 g (1 cup) dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (or 1 can, drained)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 L (4 1/4 cups) vegetable or beef stock
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Blanch the tripe in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- If using dried beans, simmer separately in fresh water until nearly tender, about 45 minutes, then drain.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion, carrot, and celery until softened, then add the garlic.
- Add the tripe and stir to coat, then add the crushed tomatoes and stock.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1.5 hours, until the tripe is tender.
- Add the beans and simmer for another 20-30 minutes until everything is fully tender and the soup has thickened.
- Season to taste and serve hot with a generous grating of Parmigiano.
Chef Tips
- Ask your butcher for pre-cleaned, partially pre-cooked tripe, which significantly shortens the process.
- This soup should be thick and hearty, closer to a stew than a thin broth.
- Like many braises, busecca is even better the day after it is made.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the initial blanch, which helps remove any residual odor from the tripe.
- Rushing the cooking time, which leaves the tripe with an unpleasantly chewy texture.
- Making the soup too thin - busecca is meant to be substantial and thick.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein from the tripe; beans contribute plant protein and fiber.
Cultural Note
Busecca was so beloved in Milan that it gave rise to the affectionate local nickname 'busecconi' for Milanese residents, reflecting the dish's deep ties to the city's identity.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; flavor improves the next day.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop.
Serve with: Crusty bread, A medium-bodied red wine