- Autumn Minestrone Soup with Butternut Squash
- A couple of weekends ago when it was cold and rainy, we had Mike’s parents over on a Sunday evening and I made the Barefoot Contessa’s Winter Minestrone Soup for the first time. It was perfect and so hearty, nutritious and so filling. However, I don’t think the name does it justice – while squash is around during the winter, I think this is actually the perfect soup for Autumn – butternut squash, pancetta…
Recipe Notes :
- The recipe calls for pesto at the end – which is completely delightful and brightens everything in the right way. She suggests store-bought pesto is ok, but I’m not a fan of store-bought pesto (tastes like dried basil to me). We are still harvesting fresh basil from our garden, so I have plenty of fresh pesto around and some I put in the freezer. Again, my campaign for this being an “Autumn Minestrone Soup” instead of Winter. You could definitely just add some chopped basil at the end instead.
Autumn Minestrone with Butternut Squash
Olive Oil
4 oz. Pancetta, diced
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
4 Carrots, chopped
1/2 Butternut Squash, cubed
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh Thyme
28 oz. can of Whole Tomatoes
6 to 8 cups Chicken Stock
1 Bay Leaf
Sea Salt + Cracked Pepper
2 cups cooked Small Pasta
1 15 oz. can Cannellini Beans, drained
8 to 10 ounces Spinach
1/2 cup dry White Wine
…..
2 tablespoons Pesto, or Fresh Basil
Parmesan Cheese
….
Garlic
Baguette
Olive Oil
In a heavy bottomed large pot (I use a dutch oven), cook the pancetta in olive oil until it browns, then add the onion and carrots and cook until softened. Add the carrots and butternut squash and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes – you may need to add more oil if it begins to stick. Add garlic in last and cook for 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn. Add the can of tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme. Break up tomatoes into smaller pieces with your hands (if you are brave!) or a spoon. Season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper for now, you may need to add more later. Cook for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and cooked through.
Add pasta and cook for about 10 more minutes until al dente. Then, add the beans and spinach, continue to cook until heated through. Finish with White Wine before serving. I like to serve the pesto right on top of our soup with a drizzle of olive oil, basil and parmesan cheese.
To make Garlic Toasts, slice baguette in thin slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle each slice with olive oil. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until browned. Rub a garlic clove on each slice of bread. Serve with soup.
Don’t skip the garlic bruschetta – such a good garlicy bite with the very rich soup.
