Fall Minestrone Soup
This Fall Minestrone Soup is the perfect hearty fall soup, loaded with carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cannellini beans and shell pasta bathed in a lightly sweet tomato-nutmeg broth.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
- 2 c butternut squash, cubed
- 1 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 c low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1/4 tsp ground thyme)
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained
- 2 c mini shell pasta (or any small shape pasta) *see notes
- 5 c kale, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies. Mince the garlic. Chop the carrots and onion. Slice the celery stalks. Cube the sweet potatoes and butternut squash. De-vein the kale and chop coarsely.
- In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato and butternut squash. Cook covered for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broth and tomatoes to the sauted vegetables. Season with basil, oregano, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer for roughly 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are slightly soft.
- Add the beans and pasta. Cook another 7 to 8 minutes, or until the pasta is done. Just before serving, fold in the kale. Divide among bowls and garnish with Parmesan, if desired. *See notes on alternate method for cooking pasta.
Notes
- My BEST tip for making amazing soup that reheats well and doesn't turn pasta to mush is to actually cook the pasta separately from the broth. When you are ready to eat, ladle the pasta into the bowl and top with broth. Store broth and pasta separately. To reheat, warm broth over stove. Add pasta to a bowl and ladle hot broth over the pasta. No mushy pasta!