Ingredients
- 1 medium Red onion , chopped
- 4 carrots , chopped
- 4 stocks of celery chopped
- 1 lb diced pancetta
- 2 cups of processed pumpkin or butternut squash (or cut into cubes and cook with initial stock)
- 1- 2 potatoes cut into small cubes
- 1 large tomato chopped or 10 cherry tomatoes , cut in quarters
- 1 small savoy cabbage , roughly chopped
- 1 can (14 oz) borlotti beans
- 1 can of Lentil beans
- ditalini pasta or other small pasta shape
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 1 garlic clove (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, roughly chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic clove, and pancetta cubes. Sautee on medium heat for a few minutes stirring a couple of times in the process.
- Add potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary sprigs and a couple of pinches of salt.
- Give a nice stir and add enough water to cover all the veggies.Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Add more liquid if needed.
- Past this time veggies will become super soft and will “melt” one into another creating delicious creamy texture.
- Once veggies are cooked add chopped savoy cabbage or other leafy greens and drained canned beans. Add more water if needed. Give a nice stir and cook for another 15 minutes.
- As a last step, add pasta or rice. Let cook for 5-15 more minutes depending on how long pasta or rice will take to cook.
- If you’re not planning to serve minestrone right away, don’t add pasta or rice immediately. Instead, bring the soup to a boil when you’re ready to serve it and then add pasta or rice.
- Minestrone is ready to serve when pasta (rice) is cooked. I takes about 5-6 minutes for ditalini pasta and about 15 minutes for rice.
- Serve hot or warm generously topped with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.