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Fall Minestrone

This hearty Fall Minestrone Soup is packed with pancetta, tender butternut squash, cannellini beans, vegetables, and small pasta in a rich tomato broth with fresh thyme. Finished with freshly grated Parmesan, it's a satisfying homemade soup perfect for chilly fall days and easy leftovers.
Print Recipe
Fall Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 4 ounces pancetta diced into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 –3 carrots cut into rounds or moons
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 2½ cups peeled butternut squash diced into ½-inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 4-ounce tube concentrated tomato paste
  • 1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 6-8 cups water, chicken stock, or a combination of both
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked small pasta such as ditalini
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  • Cook the pancetta. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
  • Sauté the vegetables. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic during the last 1–2 minutes.
  • Toast the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it turns a deep red color, stirring as needed.
  • Simmer the soup. Add the diced tomatoes, water or stock, chicken bouillon, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and 1½ teaspoons black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  • Add the beans and squash. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cannellini beans and diced butternut squash. Continue simmering until the squash is tender.
  • Adjust the consistency. The soup should be thick and hearty. If it’s thicker than you like, add more chicken stock or water. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed, keeping in mind that the bouillon and stock may already be salty.
  • Serve. Add some cooked pasta to each bowl and grate fresh Parmesan over the pasta. Ladle the hot soup over the top and serve.

Notes

Leftover tip: Store the cooked pasta separately from the soup. Add pasta to each bowl when serving so it doesn't absorb all the broth as the soup sits in the refrigerator.
Servings: 7