Sunday Soups: Fall Minestrone

This is my standard minestrone recipe, only I've swapped out zucchini and tomatoes for butternut squash and kale, because that's what we have in the garden this time of year.

I'm totally lying.  Doesn't that sound great, though?  I would love to be able to say that most of the vegetables in this soup came from the garden.  But, in our garden, every single little butternut squash spontaneously aborted before it actually started growing, and the kale that wasn't eaten by an unidentified animal has stopped growing. 

 

In the meantime, I'm glad grocery stores sell the things that won't grow in our yard.

I should also acknowledge the plants that did grow for us and contribute to this soup- the garlic and parsley- for which we are very grateful.

Fall Minestrone

1/4 cup olive oil
4 oz. pancetta, cubed (Trader Joes sells a little package already chopped- handy!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 cup potato, cubed 
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups kale, stems removed, and chopped
1 can of cannellini
minced parsley
grated parmesan

1. Heat the olive oil in your soup pot and add the garlic and pancetta, and sauté  for 2 minutes.

2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt and pepper, and cover, cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add the butternut squash and potato, and cover to cook again, for 10 minutes.
4. Add the broth, cannellini, and kale and cook until the greens are tender, about another 10 minutes.
5. Serve topped with minced parsley and grated parmesan.



It's just the right thing on a cool evening, when it's starting to feel like Fall is settling in.

Bon appétit!