Fall Minestrone Butternut Squash (Print Version)

A comforting autumn soup featuring butternut squash, kale, white beans, and ditalini pasta in a rich broth with crispy pancetta.

# What You 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 & Pasta

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

→ Broth & 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
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, retaining the 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 garlic, cooking 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 butternut squash is tender.
06 - Stir in kale and pasta. Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes until pasta reaches al dente and kale wilts.
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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pancetta creates these little pockets of savory goodness that burst with flavor against the sweet butternut squash - its like finding tiny treasures in each spoonful.
  • Its endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables are looking sad in your crisper drawer, which has saved me from food waste countless times when I wasnt feeling creative.
02 -
  • If youre making this ahead of time, cook and store the pasta separately then add it to individual portions when serving - otherwise it will continue absorbing broth and become mushy by day two.
  • Adding a small piece of parmesan rind during simmering creates a subtle depth that most people cant identify but will make everyone ask for your secret.
03 -
  • Save vegetable scraps in a freezer bag while prepping - carrot peels, celery leaves, onion ends - and simmer them separately to make a quick vegetable stock that adds incredible depth to this soup.
  • Let the soup rest off heat for 10 minutes before serving - this slight cooling allows the flavors to settle and intensify, much like letting a good steak rest before cutting.
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