The dropping temperatures, canceled plans, and empty shelves can only mean one thing — winter is definitely here.
And nothing helps the winter blues, or the flu, more than a piping hot bowl of soup.
There are few celebrity chefs I find more comforting than Ina Garten, so I whipped up her winter minestrone soup to brighten my day.
Here’s how to make it.
Ina Garten’s winter minestrone soup is packed with colorful veggies.
To make 6-8 servings of Garten’s soup, you’ll need:
- 2 cups of cooked small pasta, such as Tubetti
- 1 26-ounce can or box of chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
- 1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans
- 6 to 8 cups of chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 8-10 ounces of fresh baby spinach leaves
- 2 ½ cups of peeled butternut squash, ½-inch diced
- 2 cups of celery, ½-inch diced
- 2 cups of carrots, ½-inch diced
- 1 ½ cups of chopped yellow onions
- ½ cup of good dry white wine
- 4 ounces of diced pancetta
- ½ tablespoon of minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons of store-bought pesto
- 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
My prep began with plenty of chopping.
Garten’s recipe requires a lot of prep, but it makes a lot of soup. And all those veggies make the broth so hearty and comforting.
If you can, recruit a loved one or friend to help you chop everything — just bribe them with leftovers.
I also cooked the pasta ahead of time.
Garten recommends using Tubetti pasta for this recipe, but I couldn’t find any at my local supermarket. I went with a similar shape and cooked my noodles until they were al dente.
To begin my soup, I first threw some olive oil and pancetta into a large pot.
I added 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot, which was placed over medium heat.
Then I added the pancetta, cooking it over medium-low heat for about six minutes until it had lightly browned.
Then I added the veggies and herbs.
I threw my chopped onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme into the pot.
Garten says it’s best to use fresh thyme if you can because it “really makes a difference.”
I cooked everything over medium heat, making sure to stir occasionally.
Garten says you should cook the mixture for eight to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Then I added the chopped tomatoes and six cups of chicken stock.
Garten recommends using her homemade chicken stock, which I didn’t have time to whip up for this dish.
I will confess that the soup’s broth wasn’t very exciting or rich with store-bought stock. You could add some chicken bouillon to amp up its flavor, but nothing will taste as good as the homemade stock. It’s worth the extra effort!
I added the bay leaf and seasoned my mixture.
I added 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 ½ teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper to the pot.
I brought the broth to a boil, then lowered the heat and simmered it uncovered for 30 minutes.
Garten says you should allow the mixture to simmer until the vegetables are tender, so I let my soup simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
Once my broth was done simmering, I took out the bay leaf.
Garten says you can use a fresh or dry bay leaf for this recipe.
Then I added the beans and pasta and allowed them to heat through.
Make sure you drain and rinse the cannellini beans before adding them to the broth.
The pasta will likely absorb a lot of the broth. If your soup looks too thick at this stage, add more chicken stock.
Garten recommends adding two more cups of chicken stock if you’re unhappy with the consistency.
Once I was ready to serve, I added the spinach to my soup.
Garten recommends tossing the spinach with two big spoons to help cook the leaves until they’ve wilted in the broth.
Then I added the white wine.
Garten says you should select a nice white wine that you’d want to drink for this recipe.
This is also where you should add the pesto if you’re using it. (I skipped it because my sister is allergic to pine nuts.)
I mixed everything together and gave my soup a quick salt check.
I was happy with the saltiness of my soup, but Garten recommends adding another teaspoon or two if you feel the broth needs more.
After a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, my soup was ready.
Garten’s winter minestrone soup is a much-needed burst of color on a cold and dreary day. I loved seeing the rainbow of hues from all the vegetables — the soup couldn’t have looked more inviting.
It was time for my first sip.
Garten’s winter minestrone soup is really hearty and comforting.
I’m a huge soup fan. I love soup so much that I’m even in a group chat dedicated to sharing photos, recipes, and daily appreciation for soup and its various forms (shout-out to my soup girlz). But minestrone has never been my favorite.
Garten finds a way to infuse this often lackluster soup with flavor. The taste of the tomato shines through, adding a richness to the broth that’s amplified by the final touch of Parmesan and olive oil on top. All the veggies tasted delicious and maintained their texture, even when I ate leftovers a few days later. I also enjoyed the burst of freshness from the spinach and thyme, and how the soup still tasted healthy and light.
Winter is a tough season for everyone. So, if you’re under the weather or just feeling blue, I recommend a bowl of Garten’s colorful winter minestrone soup.
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