Hearty Fall Minestrone Soup (Print Version)

Autumn minestrone with butternut squash, kale, white beans, ditalini pasta, and savory pancetta in rich broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 oz pancetta, diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 cups kale, stems removed, chopped
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

→ Beans and Pasta

10 - 1 can (14 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup ditalini or small pasta

→ Broth and Seasonings

12 - 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
16 - Salt to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in butternut squash and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, white beans, broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
05 - Cover and cook for 20 minutes until squash is tender.
06 - Stir in kale and pasta. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta reaches al dente and kale is wilted.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with reserved pancetta, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in an hour and tastes like you've been tending a pot all afternoon.
  • The butternut squash gets creamy without any cream, and the pasta absorbs every savory flavor around it.
  • You can make it vegetarian, gluten-free, or dairy-free without losing a single ounce of warmth.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta until the very end or it'll turn to mush and thicken the broth beyond recognition; I learned this by making potato soup consistency out of what should have been a beautiful minestrone.
  • The butternut squash will start to break down after about 25 minutes of cooking, which is exactly what you want because it naturally creams the broth.
03 -
  • Save the pancetta fat in a jar in your refrigerator; it's liquid gold for sautéing vegetables or finishing soups for weeks afterward.
  • If your pasta is thick or whole wheat, add it a couple minutes earlier because these varieties take longer than regular ditalini to reach al dente.
Go Back