Description
Butternut Kale Minestrone Soup is perfect for those cold days when all you want to make is something warm and steaming in a bowl. Minestrone is traditionally made with vegetables, beans and small bits of pasta, but I wanted to lighten my soup. I eliminated the pasta and used healthy butternut squash. I also added some earthy shitake mushrooms that I had in my refrigerator, in addition to the more traditional vegetables – carrots, onion, celery and kale. White beans, traditional in minestrone were, of course, stirred in at the end. The result? A nutritious, light, yet filling soup that was perfect for lunch, as well as for a light dinner.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups diced butternut squash (you can use frozen)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pint shitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 small bunch kale, stems removed and torn into small pieces
1 32–ounce can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups low sodium, or homemade, chicken stock
Instructions
1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper; sauté for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to brown. Add the butternut squash and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
2 Add the garlic, thyme and oregano. Sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, kale, beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer the soup for 20 minutes.
3. Adjust the seasonings if necessary, and serve hot.
Notes
This soup freezes beautifully for another day’s lunch or dinner. Simply ladle into single serving containers and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I used my recipe for Homemade Bone Broth for this soup. Good stock is a must for a good soup!
