Winter Minestrone Soup
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons EVOO
4 ounces pancetta, diced
1½ cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
4-5 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup good dry white wine
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Heat 2 tablespoons of good olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Once the pot is nice and hot, add your pancetta and cook over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes. Watch to make sure it does not burn, if it looks to be lower heat to medium-low.
Next, it is veggie time! Add your onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme. Cook for about 10 minutes. We want the veggies to start getting softer but still retain some crunch.
Now add your tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of pepper. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling lower heat to a simmer and allow to simmer away for about 25-30 minutes uncovered. This is when your veggies will start to get nice and tender.
Remove your bay leaf (no one wants that in their bowl). Give your soup a nice stir and add your beans and cooked pasta. The soup will be decently thick. If you prefer a thinning soup add more chicken stock.
Before serving add your spinach and allow to simmer for about 1-2 minutes. You want the leaves to wilt without getting too cooked. Next add your white wine and pesto. Make sure to pour yourself a glass while you are at it!
Taste your masterpiece! Add more salt and pepper as you see fit.
NOTE: Cook pasta according to box instructions.