Winter Minestrone With Butternut Squash (Printable)

Hearty Italian soup with butternut squash, kale, beans, and pasta in a rich tomato broth—perfect for winter.

# What You 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 (approximately 1.5 pounds), peeled and diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup chopped fresh kale, stems removed
09 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices

→ Legumes and Grains

10 - 1 can (15 ounces) 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 and 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, optional
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 diced 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; 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 dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
06 - Stir in drained cannellini beans and small pasta. 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 black pepper to taste.
08 - Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have something genuinely nourishing on the table even on nights when you're running on fumes.
  • The soup tastes even better the next day, so making a big batch means you're really just cooking once and eating twice.
  • There's no fancy technique hiding in here—just good ingredients treated gently and given time to get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta too early or it will continue cooking in the residual heat and turn mushy—add it late enough that it finishes cooking right when the squash does.
  • Fresh parsley stirred in at the very end acts like a flavor brightener, bringing everything into focus, so it's worth using instead of dried.
  • If the soup seems too thick the next day, it's because the pasta continues absorbing liquid overnight—just thin it with a splash of broth or water when you reheat.
03 -
  • Prep all your vegetables before you start cooking and have them within arm's reach—this soup moves quickly once it starts, and there's nothing worse than being mid-sauté and realizing you haven't cut your squash yet.
  • If you have a Parmesan rind in your cheese drawer, save it for this soup; it dissolves into the broth and adds a savory depth that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in portions—minestrone actually freezes beautifully, and you'll be grateful on a random cold Tuesday when you can thaw a container instead of starting from scratch.
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