Recipes from Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Coastal Living, All You, Real Simple, and Health
What is the Test Kitchen Guarantee?

Quick Fall Minestrone

Cooking Light

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

My Notes

(Only you will be able to view, print, and edit this Note)

Edit Note

Worthy of a Special Occasion

Make the most of fall produce like butternut squash and kale in this hearty vegetarian soup. Pasta and beans make it especially filling.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

  • 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
  • 1  cup  chopped onion
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 6  cups  vegetable broth
  • 2 1/2  cups  (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
  • 2 1/2  cups  (3/4-inch) cubed peeled baking potato
  • 1  cup  (1-inch) cut green beans (about 1/4 pound)
  • 1/2  cup  diced carrot
  • 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
  • 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 4  cups  chopped kale
  • 1/2  cup  uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
  • 1  (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 1/2 minutes or until tender. Add broth and the next 7 ingredients (broth through salt); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Add kale, orzo, and beans; cook 5 minutes or until orzo is done and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information

Calories:
212 (21% from fat)
Fat:
5g (sat 1.6g,mono 1g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:
9.6g
Carbohydrate:
36g
Fiber:
3.9g
Cholesterol:
5mg
Iron:
1.9mg
Sodium:
961mg
Calcium:
164mg
Abby Duchin Dinces, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2003