Our veggie garden is really starting to dwindle down meaning summer is officially coming to an end. I no longer have to ask my husband to load up the veggies in the back of the Kubota… just one of my hands will do! Which is all I needed when I picked up this beautiful butternut squash a few mornings ago and then pondered on what to do with it. Ah ha! I’ve got it… the little light in my brain I was telling you about that doesn’t always seem to light up when I want it too! Why, minestrone soup of course! … where is the tongue face emoji when you need it?! 🙂
–SECRETS OUT– I’ve never actually made “minestrone” soup before! I mean I’ve made tons of different kinds of soups over the years as they are SO simple to make and such an easy way to clean out your fridge. There also a perfect way to enjoy flavours of in season veggies all in one hearty, healthy, delicious bowl. No matter what kind of soup I decide to make each week its always the best feelings knowing I have something yummy coming my way (within a 3minute time slot) when I get home from one of those crazy, hectic, “don’t do that again to me” days.
So with fall around the corner and no soup in my fridge I decided to challenge myself in creating a minestrone soup with the intention of “cleaning out my fridge” and using ingredients I had on hand! These ingredients included some dried navy beans (soaked overnight), a large onion, some celery, a super duper extra large leek, garlic cloves , a few crunchy heads of bok choy and of course the fancy “i waited all summer for you” butternut squash from our garden!
My goal was to make this soup extra flavourful without adding any extra spices (other than salt & pepp of course) so after chopping up all my veggies and adding them to the pot I let it simmer for approximately 2 hours on low heat. OH! thats why I forgot to mention, the #1 pro of homemade soup —> any guesses???
It’s also about the smell! The delicious aroma that makes your whole house smell homey and cozy and oh-so-wonderful! Aaaahhh. The smell of fall. I just love it. For me cooking isn’t only about the food, or the eating, or the pleasure of the table, its about the experience of using ingredients you love and creating “heaven” in your home.
Alright, Im leaving out the best part for last! The fact that my husband went to my all-time favourite little bakery De La Terre in Vineland and picked up not 1 but 3 loaves of freshly baked fermented sourdough! Making the final result of my first ever minestrone soup recipe dippable AND dunk-afiably delicious! (ignoring those red squiggly lines under both of those non-dictionary words! ha!)
After the soup had simmered and the house was smelling like heaven, I still had a feeling something was missing from this recipe. I swear the loaves of bread had eyes at this point as they were lined up on my counter, staring at me only waiting to be devoured! So I immediately whipped up some of my homemade pesto which I believe just knocked this recipe out of the park! All you need (machine wise) is a food processor and within minutes you have an insanely flavourful sauce you can add to soups, pastas, salads, meats, and/or as a spread on top of crackers and breads. I know when Jordan brings home fresh basil he is really saying “pesto please!”
I am so excited for you guys to try my first ever minestrone soup recipe! I can guarantee you if you haven’t shifted into the fall mood quite yet you most certainly will after a few sips of this wonderful, satisfying, veggie packed, simply seasoned, comforting minestrone soup.
Completely vegan + (can easily be gluten-free using GF pasta noodles of choice!) it is not your typical thick minestrone Italian soup made with thick broth, and heavy gluten-packed pasta. I wanted to make this dish completely clean as always and avoid any high calorie ingredients, however feel free to add whatever kind of pasta or rice you like. Those tiny rotini noodles I used are actually made of Kamut and I usually just sprinkle a few on top after heating up my soup (so the noodles don’t over heat as they have a tendency to get mushy). The brand I use is from Artesian Acres, they have a selection of quality, organic pasta noodles and can be found in most grocery stores.
Sprinkle some fresh parmesan OR nutritonal yeast, toast up some sexy slices of bread and spread on that fresh homemade pesto!
Sharing is not necessary…. 🙂
| Cook Time | 1 & 1/2 - 2 hours |
| Passive Time | 2 & 1/2 hours |
| Servings |
servings
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- 2.5 cups dried navy or cannellini beans *soaked overnight
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil *plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow vidalia onion finely chopped
- 2 small leeks *or 1 extra large*, white & pale green parts only, finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced, or finely chopped
- sea salt & pepper
- 1 butternut squash peeled, cut into small cubes
- 4 cups vegetable broth (I like to use Organic Vegetable Broth Low Sodium by Pacific foods)
- 3 cups filtered water
- 4 cups dry pasta noodles of choice (I used Organic Kamut Rotini Noodles by Artesian Acres)
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 3 bok choy trim stem off – just the end. leave the tender baby in the middle of ea. bok choy
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach ends removed
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 4 sundried tomatoes oil drained
- 1 large garlic clove chopped in half
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon water
- sea salt & pepper sprinkle of each
- 1/2 small avocado *add for extra creaminess
Ingredients
Naturally Natalie's HOMEMADE PESTO RECIPE
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For a gluten-free version use, gluten free pasta noodles of choice!
The soup can be thin and focused on the broth, or it can be thick and stew-like depending on how much liquid you want to add.
Soup can be stored in fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in freezer for 4-6 months.
Pasta contained in soup may become mushy when thawed.
