Winter Minestrone With Butternut Squash Kale (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian soup with butternut squash, kale, beans, and pasta in rich tomato broth

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 pounds), peeled and diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup chopped fresh kale, stems removed
09 - 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

→ Legumes & Grains

10 - 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 0.5 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)

→ Liquids

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 0.5 teaspoon dried rosemary
17 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
20 - Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add butternut squash and zucchini pieces to the pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil.
05 - Stir in oregano, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
06 - Add cannellini beans and pasta to the pot. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta and squash are tender.
07 - Stir in chopped kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley.
09 - Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in about an hour, which means you can have soup simmering while you handle other things on a busy day.
  • The butternut squash melts into the broth, creating natural sweetness that balances the tomatoes and herbs without any extra sugar.
  • Kale gets tender and mild when it wilts into the warm soup, so even people skeptical of greens tend to enjoy it here.
  • You probably have most of the ingredients already, or can grab them from any grocery store without hunting for specialty items.
02 -
  • Don't skip the first sauté of the onion, carrot, and celery, because that's where the depth of flavor comes from, not from the long simmer at the end.
  • Add the kale at the very end rather than earlier, because cooking it longer than three minutes turns it into an unpleasant texture and dulls its color.
  • Taste before you serve and adjust seasoning, because the flavors are subtle enough that a little extra salt or a crack of black pepper can make all the difference.
03 -
  • If you want extra depth, add a Parmesan rind to the pot during the final simmer and remove it before serving, which costs nothing if you save your rinds but adds serious umami richness.
  • Cut all your vegetables to roughly the same size so everything cooks at the same rate and creates a pleasant, cohesive texture in each spoonful.
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