I thought that I’d missed the seasonal boat on posting this recipe, but with with a “snow bomb” in the forecast this week, I decided that it should still be shared. My friend Sarah shared the original recipe with me and I made some modifications. Steve actually said that this is the best thing that I’ve ever made.
Winter Minestrone
Serves 6 to 8
Note: I diced all veggies the night before, which saved a lot of time when I actually made it.
- Olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)
- 2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)
- 2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes
- 6-8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 62)
- 1 bay leaf Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti
- A bag of baby kale
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Put 1 cup of pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook according to the directions on the package, drain, and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. (The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more chicken stock).
- Massage the kale to break down the bitterness. Add the kale to the pot and cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto.
- Add salt to taste. Serve large bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot.
RLB Ink. 
Look at Renee the chef 🙂 Glad you both liked it so much!!