Winter Minestrone
This Winter Minestrone checks all the boxes. It is comforting but not heavy, filling without being overwhelming, and packed with vegetables in a way that feels effortless. It is family-friendly, meal-prep friendly, freezer friendly, and perfect for lazy Sundays or busy weeknights. Plus, the blended beans give it a luxurious, creamy texture without adding cream, which makes it both cozy and balanced. If soups had personalities, this one would be the friend who always shows up with snacks and emotional support.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks finely minced
- 2 medium-sized carrots finely minced
- 1 large sweet yellow onion finely minced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 large Yukon gold potato diced
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 10 thyme sprigs
- Parmesan rind optional
- 1½ cups small ditalini pastina
- 1 large bundle of lascinato dinosaur kale or a 12-ounce bag of spinach
- 1 can cannellini beans drained
- 1 can of cannellini beans blended
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
Veggie Preparation
- To quickly mince the celery, carrots, and onion, add them to a food processor and pulse 20-25 times.
- Use a peeler to peel the skin off of your butternut squash. Slice the squash in half, deseed and dice into ½ inch pieces.
- Peel and dice the potato. Remove the ribs from the kale and chop the leaves into small pieces.
- Blend one can of cannellini until smooth. Do not drain the liquid before blending.
Minestrone Instructions
- To a large pot, add the olive oil, the soffritto (minced celery, carrots, and onions), 1salt, pepper, and dried rosemary. Sautè over medium heat for 3 minutes, then add the butternut squash, potatoes, vegetable broth, 3 cups of water, thyme sprigs and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and let boil for 6 minutes.
- Add the ditalini and cook for 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Lower to a simmer then stir in the kale (or spinach), canned and puréed beans. Let simmer for 5 minutes more.
- Serve warm with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
