I made the secret soup world’s oldest family swears by to help you live past 100 years

The Melis family from Italy held the Guinness World Record for the highest combined age among living siblings. Their favourite dish? Minestrone soup – and I decided to give it a try.

Angela Patrone Senior Lifestyle Reporter

04:41, 18 Jan 2026

I made the secret soup world’s oldest family swears by to help you live past 100 years (Image: )

Many families are constantly on the lookout for healthy recipes, with some even touted as miracle health solutions. One particularly remarkable recipe that has endured for centuries and is thought to be the secret to longevity and wellbeing is minestrone.

This soup has been a staple for the Melis family for generations, who hold the Guinness World Record for the greatest combined age of nine living siblings. When they were awarded this record in 2012, their collective age stood at an astonishing 861 years, with the oldest sibling having reached 109.

According to reports, the family regularly enjoyed a daily midday meal of this soup, accompanied by bread and a glass of red wine.

One doctor even turned to TikTok to champion minestrone, claiming it can help reduce cholesterol levels, improve gut health, support weight control, and lower cancer risk.

Dr Tim Tiutan said: “This amazing plant-based soup is full of vitamins and minerals, fibre, and more.”

Minestrone is an Italian vegetable soup with beans, pasta, and a tomato-based broth (Image: )

Traditionally, minestrone is made using whatever vegetables happen to be on hand from the garden. Essentially, it’s an Italian vegetable soup featuring beans, pasta, and a tomato-based stock, though no two versions are identical.

The recipe I opted for is courtesy of classically trained chef Jennifer Segal. This minestrone recipe epitomises the one-pot meal – it’s wholesome, comforting, and easy to adapt based on what you have in your pantry.

The preparation took me under 30 minutes, with a cooking time of approximately 45 minutes.

Ingredients (serves six)Two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, dividedOne onion, choppedTwo medium stalks of celery, dicedTwo medium carrots, dicedTwo garlic cloves, mincedOne chicken stock cube in 1.4 litres of waterOne tin of chopped tomatoesTwo tablespoons of tomato pasteOne tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsedOne large potato, peeled and cut into half-inch cubesOne and a half teaspoons of saltHalf a teaspoon of sugarOne teaspoon of mixed herbsA quarter of a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper84g of small pasta, such as shellsOne medium courgette, diced15g of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

I started by cooking the onions, celery, carrots and garlic before adding most of the other ingredients(Image: )

I scooped out one cup of the soup and blended it(Image: )

Method

In a large cast-iron pot, I warmed the olive oil over medium heat. I then added the onion, celery, and carrots, cooking them whilst occasionally stirring until they softened, which took about six to eight minutes.

I stirred in the garlic and let it cook for another minute until it released its aroma; I made sure not to brown it.

Next, I poured in the chicken stock and added the tomatoes, tomato paste, cannellini beans, potatoes, salt, sugar, mixed herbs, and pepper. I brought this mixture to a boil, then reduced the heat to low, covered the pot, and let it simmer gently for around 20 minutes.

Using a ladle, I removed about one cup of the beans, vegetables, and a bit of broth, transferring them to a blender where I pureed them until smooth and set them aside.

I added the pasta and courgettes to the pot and stirred to combine(Image: )

I added the reserved puree back to the pot, then stirred in the cheese(Image: )

Subsequently, I added the pasta and courgettes to the pot and stirred to combine. I brought the mixture back to a boil, then reduced the heat to low and continued cooking, covered for 15 minutes.

I ensured to stir occasionally so the pasta didn’t stick to the pot for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the pasta should be al dente and the courgette chunks tender.

For the final step, I reintroduced the reserved puree back into the pot, then stirred in the cheese. Before removing the pot from the hob, I tasted and adjusted the seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, I ladled the soup into bowls and garnished them with more cheese. This winter meal can be summed up in three words – delicious, warming and filling.