Winter Minestrone with Garlic Bruschetta

Votes: 1

Time: 1 hour 30 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 8

Nutritional value per serving:

Calories 615, total fat 28 G., saturated fats 5 G., proteins 21 G., carbohydrates 71 G., fiber 9 G., cholesterol 16 mg, sodium 1418 mg, sugar 12 G.

Unlike traditional minestrone, this winter version is thicker, richer, and warming. It features winter vegetables, including squash, plenty of beans, and small pasta. As the soup sits, the pasta will absorb the liquid, and it may become thicker than you'd expect, so keep some broth on hand to thin it out. Serve the minestrone with garlic bruschetta.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Soup

110 g pancetta, cut into 1 cm cubes.
1.5 cups chopped onion
2 cups carrots, cut into 1cm cubes, about 3 pcs.
2 cups celery, diced into 1-cm cubes, about 3 stalks
2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1.5 tbsp. crushed garlic (4 cloves)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 can (750 g) diced tomatoes
6-8 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
1 bay leaf
1 can (425 g) canned cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups boiled small pasta
200–280 g fresh spinach leaves
0.5 cups of good dry white wine
2 tbsp. l. store-bought pesto
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Garlic Bruschetta

1 French baguette
1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

We recommend

Recipes with similar ingredients: butternut squash, carrot, celery, cannellini beans, bay leaf, white wine, spinach

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onion, carrot, celery, pumpkin, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken broth, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick, but if it's too thick, I add more chicken broth.

Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and stir with two large spoons (like you would a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Add the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken broth, add another 1–2 teaspoons of salt to taste.
Serve the soup in large bowls with bruschetta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot.

Garlic Bruschetta:
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Slice the baguette diagonally into 1cm-thick slices. Brush both sides with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the slices from the oven and rub the surface of each slice with a cut garlic clove.

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