Description
This Winter Minestrone is a hearty and comforting vegetarian soup perfect for the cold season. Packed with butternut squash, beans, kale, and pasta, it blends a variety of textures and flavors into a nourishing, easy-to-make dish that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Beans
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can Great Northern beans or cannellini, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped Lacinato kale or baby spinach
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked small shaped pasta (orzo, ditalini, tubetti, or elbow macaroni; gluten free if desired)
- Pesto, for serving
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Cube the butternut squash and finely chop the yellow onion. Mince the garlic cloves to prepare the base for the soup.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the cubed butternut squash, chopped onion, minced garlic, drained chickpeas, drained Great Northern beans, and diced tomatoes. Pour in the vegetable stock and water, then season with kosher salt and Italian seasoning.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover the pot and let the soup cook gently for about 6 hours until the butternut squash is tender and flavors meld.
- Add Greens and Pasta: Stir in the chopped Lacinato kale or baby spinach and the cooked pasta shape. Continue to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes until the greens are wilted and heated through.
- Finish with Vinegar and Serve: Remove the soup from heat and stir in the tablespoon of red wine vinegar to brighten the flavors. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top with a spoonful of pesto and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Notes
- This soup is perfect for a cozy winter dinner and is hearty enough to be a filling meal on its own.
- You can use any white beans in place of Great Northern beans, such as cannellini.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute regular pasta with gluten-free pasta shapes.
- Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day as flavors continue to develop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/8th of recipe)
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 481 mg
- Fat: 0.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
