If you love minestrone and you love squash, you might have already guessed this: Squash Lover’s Minestrone is a recipe made for you!
This minestrone with butternut squash AND zucchini is hearty and healthy and full of the good stuff (you know, like squash).
Squash Lover’s Minestrone is chock-full of veggies swimming in a flavorful broth. Add tender pasta and hearty beans and you have a meal in a bowl. Especially if you serve it with a hunk of crusty bread alongside – a must as far as I’m concerned.
Squash Lover’s Minestrone Ingredients
Some minestrone recipes start with pancetta or include chicken broth … this one is entirely vegetarian, with veggie broth and no meat. It’s vegan, too, if you omit the parmesan rind. I love the flavor the rind adds, but it’s plenty fine without.
Our ingredients list includes:
- Mirepoix – onion, celery, and carrot
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Veggie broth
- Butternut squash
- Kidney beans
- Pasta
- A parmesan rind
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Parsley
- Olive oil
Squash Lover’s Minestrone comes together quickly! First cook the mirepoix in olive oil. Then, add the beans, tomatoes, squash, and parm rind. Once the squash is tender, add the zucchini, pasta, and spinach.
Then, serve it up with a healthy handful of parmesan cheese and maybe a drizzle of olive oil over the top.
I love having a pot of this soup simmering on the stove. I hope you will, too!
Squash Lover’s Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (diced; about 1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled & diced; about 1 cup)
- 1 stalk celery (diced; abou 1/2 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled and minced; about 1 tablespoon)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 15 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 15 ounces cooked kidney beans (1 can; drained and rinsed)
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes (diced; about 2 cups (optional))
- 2 cups diced butternut squash (from 1/2 small squash)
- 1/s teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 parmesan rind (about the size of a domino)
- 1 small zucchini (diced; about 1 cup)
- 1 cup pasta (choose a small to medium tubular pasta like macaroni, penne, casarecce, torchio etc – though any pasta will do)
- 1 ounce baby spinach (lightly chopped; about 1 cup packed)
- 1/4 cup flat-leasf Italian parsley (chopped)
- Additional freshly shredded parmesan cheese (for topping)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-low heat. When hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, potatoes (if using), salt, and pepper. Drop in the parmesan rind. Increase heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low until the soup is at a simmer. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potato (if using) is tender.
- Stir in the zucchini and pasta. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, just until the pasta is barely tender.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the spinach and parsley until wilted. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and pass with plenty of parmesan and crusty bread.
