Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup (Print Version)

Hearty Italian soup with kale, butternut squash, beans, and pasta. Perfect for cold winter days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 4 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

→ Legumes & Grains

10 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Liquids & Seasonings

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Optional Garnishes

18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
19 - Chopped fresh parsley
20 - Crusty bread for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add butternut squash and zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the squash is just tender.
06 - Add beans, pasta, and kale. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta is cooked and kale is wilted.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan and parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who actually knows how to cook made it, but honestly takes zero intimidation if you've never made soup before.
  • One pot means one pot to wash, which is deeply appreciated on a Tuesday night when you're tired.
  • The kind of food that makes you feel nourished without any pretension about it.
  • Works perfectly as leftovers, actually getting better by the next day as flavors get cozy together.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on the sautéing at the beginning—those five minutes of softening vegetables build flavor that you literally cannot replicate by rushing.
  • Taste the broth before you add everything else, because if it tastes good on its own, the whole soup will follow, and if it doesn't, no amount of kale will fix it.
  • Add the kale last because if it sits in the pot too long it gets that slightly sulfurous smell that nobody actually wants, even though people pretend to.
03 -
  • Rinse canned beans before adding them because the liquid they come in is starchy and mutes the flavors you've worked to build.
  • Don't add salt until the very end when everything is cooked, because broth reduces and concentrates and you'll end up with something inedible if you season early.
  • Keep the pot covered while simmering the squash so the liquid doesn't evaporate and leave you with vegetable soup instead of minestrone.
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