We are officially in the middle of winter now, so that means it’s soup season! I absolutely love minestrone soup and I have been making different versions of this soup for quite some time now. But this one is the best version yet because it’s inspired by the queen Ina Graten. Her secret ingredient is pesto! And I would say her pesto is the besto (F.R.I.E.N.D.S reference) if you guys don’t watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S what are you waiting for?! Start watching it because it’s THE BEST show ever…you can thank me later. 💁🏽
OKAY back to the soup! This soup can be made in the instant pot, just be sure to add the pasta and the beans once the soup is done cooking. This is to prevent them from overcooking and becoming soggy. Also, buy pre-cut butternut squash to make your life easier. I for some reason cannot cut this vegetable, so I buy it pre-cut.
This soup is filled with hearty warm vegetables, making it perfect for a cold night in. The portion size is rather large, but it’s one of those dishes that keeps on giving…so enjoy it for lunch the next day! Hope you all like this as much as I do.
Stay happy, stay hungry!
| Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes | Makes: 6 servings |
Ingredients:
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup of ditalini pasta, cooked
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 butternut squash, chopped
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tbsp pesto
- 2 tbsp red crushed
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot heat some olive oil; add chopped onions, celery, and carrots.
Then add the garlic and jalapeño, let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the butternut squash, vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, pesto, red crushed pepper, red chili powder, black pepper, Parmesan rind (if using), and salt.
- Let everything come to a boil then cook on medium low heat for about 15 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta, cannellini beans, and spinach.
- Cook until all the spinach has wilted.
- Serve hot, top it with Parmesan cheese and ENJOY!
Notes:
- I used store bought pesto, my favorite pesto is Kirkland brand pesto from Costco.
- I used ditalini pasta, but elbow or any small pasta will work.
- Other vegetables that would work well are zucchini, sweet potato, or any hearty root vegetable.
- Here is the link for the spoon in the pictures above.
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