Description
Ina Garten’s winter minestrone blends hearty vegetables and rich flavors into a comforting Italian soup. Crisp garlic bruschetta accompanies this warming dish, offering you a complete meal perfect for cold evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.4 L (6 to 8 cups) chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 730 g canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
- 400 g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 250 g cooked small pasta, such as tubetti
- 225 g (8 to 10 oz) fresh baby spinach leaves
- 115 g pancetta, ½-inch-diced
- 225 g chopped yellow onions
- 300 g diced carrots (3 carrots)
- 300 g diced celery (3 stalks)
- 250 g (2½ cups) (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
- 60 ml (¼ cup) good olive oil
- 120 ml (½ cup) good dry white wine
- 1½ tbsps cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsps fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsps store-bought pesto
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 1 baguette
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
- Additional good olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté Base: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, render pancetta until golden, creating a flavorful foundation for the soup. Add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme, allowing vegetables to soften and release aromatic oils.
- Build Liquid Foundation: Introduce tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a robust boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing ingredients to meld and vegetables to tenderize for approximately 30 minutes.
- Enhance Soup Complexity: Discard bay leaf, then fold in beans and pre-cooked pasta. Adjust liquid consistency as needed with additional stock. Moments before serving, incorporate spinach, allowing it to wilt delicately. Finish with white wine and pesto, calibrating seasoning to taste.
- Craft Bruschetta: Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Slice baguette diagonally, brushing each piece with olive oil. Bake until crisp, then elegantly rub with garlic clove to infuse subtle flavor.
- Presentation Finale: Ladle steaming soup into shallow bowls. Crown with crisp bruschetta, generously shower with Parmesan, and complete with a sophisticated olive oil drizzle. Serve immediately while temperature and flavors are at their peak.
Notes
- Pancetta Precision: Brown pancetta slowly to develop a rich, golden color without burning, which enhances the soup’s depth of flavor.
- Vegetable Layering: Sauté vegetables sequentially to release their individual aromatics, creating a complex and harmonious base for the minestrone.
- Stock Strategy: Keep extra chicken stock on hand to adjust soup consistency, ensuring the perfect balance between thickness and fluidity.
- Finishing Finesse: Add spinach and wine at the last moment to preserve vibrant color, fresh taste, and prevent overcooking delicate ingredients.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg