Minestrone Soup
It is still bitterly cold here in Iowa, so we are having Minestrone Soup again. Not that this is a bad thing, in fact is is a really good way to eat more veggies! I first tried this soup a couple of weeks ago, but it felt like something was missing. A different flavor was needed, so this time around I added pancetta (Italian bacon) and fire roasted tomatoes.
Everything is better with bacon right? Well this recipe is a winner!! I love the shape of the Cellentani noodles, but you can use any noodle that you like.
What you need to make this recipe
- olive oil
- onion
- pancetta
- fresh garlic
- small yellow squash
- medium zucchini
- carrots
- celery
- chicken stock
- fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- tomato paste
- cannelini beans
- napa cabbage
- cellentani noodles – or any elbow shaped noodle
- bay leaf
- dried basil
How to make Minestrone Soup
Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and pancetta and cook for 3 – 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
Add the garlic, squash, zucchini, carrots and celery. Cook for 7 – 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Next, add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, and basil. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the cabbage, beans, and noodles and simmer for 12 – 15 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked al dente.
Remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with Garlic Bread, Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread, or crustini, like I did in the original post image below
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to use any shape of noodle that has a cooking time on the package of 10 to 11 minutes.
- For Paleo, substitute compliant bacon for the pancetta {contains dextrose and sodium nitrates} and omit the noodles or substitute thinly sliced potatoes.
- For Vegan, omit the bacon and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
More delicious soup recipes
- Instant Pot Minestrone Soup – you will recognize some of the images, lol
- Roasted Red Pepper with Grilled Shrimp
- Parmesan Gnocchi Soup
- Creamy Seafood Chowder
- Italian Meatball Soup
Enjoy!!
Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onions diced
- 3 ounces pancetta diced
- 2 Tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 small yellow squash sliced and halved (moon shape)
- 1 medium zucchini sliced and halved
- 2 medium carrots sliced and halved
- 2 stalks celery sliced and halved
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounce can cannelini beans
- 1 cup Napa cabbage chopped
- 1 cup cellentani noodles or any elbow shaped noodle
- 1 bay leaf split in half
- 1 Tablespoon dried basil crushed in your hand
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and pancetta and cook for 3 - 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic, squash, zucchini, carrots and celery. Cook for 7 - 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, and basil. Stir and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, beans, and noodles and simmer for 12 - 15 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked al dente.
- Turn off heat, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to use any shape of noodle that has a cooking time on the package of 10 to 11 minutes.
- For Paleo, substitute compliant bacon for the pancetta {contains dextrose and sodium nitrates} and omit the noodles or substitute thinly sliced potatoes.
- For Vegan, omit the bacon and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Nutrition
Your Minestrone soup look really good. I love your sweet dog too. Thank you so much for stopping by Saturday Dishes and adding this recipe. I pinned it!
Blessings,
Diane Roark