Get the Recipe: Fall Minestrone
A Fall twist on the classic soup, this Fall Minestrone features butternut squash, kale and pancetta, together with white beans and pasta.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pancetta or bacon, diced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup onion, diced
- 1/3 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup carrots, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes, with liquid or 4 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups fresh or frozen butternut squash, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 cups kale leaves, tough stems removed and chopped
- 19 oz cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup tubetti or ditalini pasta, or other small pasta
- 1-2 cups water or additional broth, as needed
- Additional fresh chopped basil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Add pancetta or bacon and olive oil to a large soup pot on the stove-top. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the pancetta is browned. Remove to a small bowl and set aside. (If there is a large amount of fat in the pan, remove and discard some of it, leaving enough to saute the vegetables in the next step.)
- Add the onion, celery and carrots to the pot. Cook, stirring, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook with the vegetables about 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with the liquid.
- Tip! After adding the canned tomatoes to the pot, take a moment to fill the tomato can 1/2-2/3 full with water and use that water to add to the soup as directed and/or as needed as the soup cooks.
- Tip! If using frozen butternut squash, don't add it until Step 6, with the kale and canned beans.
- Add the broth, butternut squash and herbs. Increase the heat under the pot slightly and bring the soup to a boil, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot and allow to simmer about 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender (or the carrots are tender if using frozen butternut squash).
- Remove the lid. Add the kale, canned beans (and frozen butternut squash, if using) and pasta and stir to combine. Return the cooked pancetta to the pot and stir in. Add about 1 cup of water (or broth) to the pot and have another cup or so handy to add to the pot, if needed to thin the soup while it cooks. Allow the soup to simmer, uncovered, about 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
- If using spinach, add now and cook in the soup, stirring, until wilted. If using fresh basil, I like to stir a bit more in at the end, as well, for a bit more colour and flavour. Taste the soup. Add additional salt, as needed. If the soup flavours taste flat, it needs more salt!
- Serve soup immediately, topped with grated Parmesan or refrigerate to serve later. Soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge. Thin with a little more water or broth, as needed when reheating.
- This soup will keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Unfortunately, soup with pasta doesn't freeze very well.
Notes
- Any soup with pasta will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator. When re-heating, simply thin with a splash more broth or water, as needed.
- The most important ingredient in any soup is salt! Be sure to taste the soup at the end of cooking and add additional salt, as needed. If it tastes flat or you feel like “it needs something”, what it needs is more salt :)
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 237kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 875mg, Potassium: 549mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 7418IU, Vitamin C: 34mg, Calcium: 149mg, Iron: 4mg
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