Winter Minestrone and Garlic Bruschetta

Show: Episode:

Picture of Winter Minestrone and Garlic Bruschetta Recipe Photo: Winter Minestrone and Garlic Bruschetta Recipe
Rated 5 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 35 Reviews
Total Time:
2 hr 0 min
Prep
1 hr 0 min
Cook
1 hr 0 min
Yield:
6 to 8 servings
Level:
Easy
x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please limit to 20 characters

Saving Recipe

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success

This recipe was saved to your Folder_Name folder.

x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to save this recipe to your Recipe Box!!

25 Characters Max

Enter Time:

:
:

You can create up to five timers

Ingredients

  • Good olive oil
  • 4 ounces pancetta, 1/2-inch-diced
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) carrots (3 carrots)
  • 2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
  • 2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) peeled butternut squash
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 (26-ounce) can or box diced tomatoes, such as Pomi
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti
  • 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup good dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
  • Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the 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 stock.

Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.

Garlic Bruschetta:

  • 1 French baguette
  • Good olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.

Print Recipe

Browse Reviews by Keywordnew!

Loading review filters...

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Food Network to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be logged in to review this recipe.

Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 35 reviews

  • on April 17, 2013

    Flag

    Best tasting minestrone soup ever! Make sure you add the pesto, olive oil at the end and make the bread. It all adds to the final product. My husband and I thought this soup was amazing!

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on April 09, 2013

    Flag

    This was so easy, so yummy and so hearty. I have a vegetarian in the house and always trying to find recipes that will satisfy the whole family - this one was great, plenty of leftovers which were even better than the day I made it.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on April 03, 2013

    Flag

    Good but not like my Nonni used to make! Less pasta and more cannellini beans and I prefer swiss chard to baby spinach and find green beans add a lot to the soup. For added flavor, toss in a hunk of Parm rind or just a big slice of the cheese to the soup while it's cooking. Now we're talkin' Minestrone!!!

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
Advertisement

What's Hot

Iron Chef America

Hosted by: Alton Brown

Free Recipe of the Day Newsletter

Let Food Network chefs plan what's for dinner, with quick and easy recipes delivered to your inbox daily.

Ads by Google

© 2013 Television Food Network G.P. All rights reserved.