Winter Minestrone Soup
Winter Minestrone Soup is a hearty minestrone soup packed with pancetta, sweet potato, kale and farro. Top with parmesan for the perfect bowl of soup!
Clearly I’m overdosing on comfort food lately. Chili last week, soup today…and I’m showing no signs of slowing down (don’t worry). 🙂
It is winter, after all, and we need cozy, soul-warming food. This Winter Minestrone Soup is going to make you forget all about classic minestrone.
It’s that good.
That’s a pretty strong statement, and if you’re a minestrone soup lover, you’re probably wondering what makes this version so special.
I happen to be a minestrone soup lover myself, but I don’t really care for the pasta or russet potato that is typically included in it. That’s because the pasta oftentimes gets mushy, and russet potatoes just aren’t my favorite.
I’ve subbed the pasta with farro, and russet potato with sweet potato in this winter vegetable minestrone soup, and it’s even better.
Being that it’s winter, I had to add kale (like I needed an excuse!), and I also added a large parsnip. If you’re not familiar with parsnips, they basically look like white carrots, and they have an earthy, woody flavor that is truly amazing. They added a nice sweetness to this soup and gave those carrots a run for their money.
Let’s not forget the pancetta, because that’s the biggest flavor booster here. The pancetta just works magic here, and really takes this soup over the top.
I also learned a little trick about tossing a 1″ piece of parmesan cheese rind into the soup while it simmers toward the end that adds even more umami flavor to this soup. A bay leaf and chopped fresh rosemary give this soup some of the herb/spice flavor that makes it minestrone perfection.
Really…who needs pasta or russet potato?
This winter minestrone soup has even more flavor than your used to from the addition of pancetta, parsnip and sweet potato. They give the broth a unique flavor that’s savory with a little sweetness, and the parmesan cheese rind, bay leaf, and fresh rosemary just fill in the gaps to make this the best thing since sliced bread.
And speaking of sliced bread, go ahead and enjoy this soup with some rosemary focaccia bread. With or without bread, this is one cozy bowl of soup. 🙂
More soup recipes you’ll love:
Chicken noodle soup by Taste of Home
Winter Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped into ½" pieces
- 1 large parsnip peeled and chopped into ½" pieces
- 1 large stalk celery tops removed and chopped into ½" pieces
- 4 ounces chopped pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water*
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ cup uncooked small shaped pasta or sub with farro or quinoa
- 1 medium sweet potato peeled and chopped into ½" chunks (or sub with regular potato)
- 15 ounces cannelini beans rinsed and drained
- 1" piece of parmesan cheese rind optional
- 3 cups chopped kale or use baby kale or spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, and pancetta, and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, stock, water, bay leaf, and rosemary and bring to a boil.
- Add the sweet potato and cook about 10 minutes. Add the pasta, beans and parmesan cheese rind, and simmer about 10-15 more minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
- Toss the kale in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking until just wilted. If using baby kale or spinach, add during the last 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and remove the cheese rind and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
- Make vegetarian by omitting the pancetta and using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
- Pre-cut kale or baby kale are great options to save time. Add about 2-4 cups depending on the amount of greens you like in your soup!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
46 Comments on “Winter Minestrone Soup”
I’m all about the comfort foods during this time of year, so I’ve been loving your recipes! It’s -2 here right now, so I’m craving all the soup! This minestrone sounds wonderful, Marcie! I love that you used pancetta in here! Such a creative twist and sounds so good!
I just watched the Minnesota-Seattle football game yesterday and they said is was -2 — that’s like watching football in a freezer! I don’t know how you do it, Gayle — that’s way to cold for me. Thanks so much and stay warm! 🙂
I am all about the comfort food at the moment too.
This is one of my favourite soups, as you can just throw everything in and use up all your leftovers too 🙂
Yes — this is perfect for using whatever you’ve got! Thanks, Dannii!
What a perfect Winter dinner! It is SO COLD here! I need this by the truckload!
I think it’s cold and it’s only in the 40’s here — I don’t know how people do it in the Mid-West and back East! I’ll send soup! 🙂
We are cut from the same cloth, Marcie, because I’m not that into the pasta and russet potatoes that come in traditional minestrone either. Normally if I order it at a restaurant, i’m the crazy person who asks the server if they can go light on the pasta in it for me… if thats possible. 😉 So I LOVE this winterized version! All the wintery vegetables in here sound just perfect – cozy, comforting and NEEDS to get in my belleh! Pinned! Cheers, my dear!
We’re on the same page — I love it! Thanks for the pin!
I love winter soups! This looks like a perfect comfort food for a cold winter day! It’s fully of nutritious ingredients and so filling at the same time!
I am so on board with lots and lots of comfort food these days, Marcie! This soup looks just perfect, and I love that you added pancetta and parmesan rind in there! I can tell it has a TON of flavor! Yum!
This minestrone soup is pretty much warming winter wonderland soup, especially with that pancetta! I wish I had a big bowl of this right now 🙂
Thanks, Rachel!
I am a minestrone soup gal too! And I love that you added kale and parsnip. I’m going to try to add more parsnip to everything this month. I just don’t use that veggie often enough!
Thanks, Becky, and I agree — I need to start adding parsnips to a lot more dishes!
Oh I just love the sound of this minestrone Marcie! Especially since there’s farro 😉 haha
It got so so cold here all of a sudden and I am definitely eating soups like mad right now!
Thanks, Ashley, and I know you love farro as much as I do!
So delicious! Love the wintery vibe you get from soups this time of year- especially when they’re bulked up with a little pasta 🙂
Thanks, Medha!
I am with you Marcie. I am not a fan of pasta in minestrone or chili in fact. It just gets in the way!! Your version looks so comforting. In fact, it was -2 this morning here in Chicagoland and this soup would have been the perfect lunchtime pick me up!!
I’m glad you’re with me — I thought I might get a little mutiny for the no pasta-russet potato thing! haha I don’t think I’d survive in -2 weather — the 40’s are cold for me! Stay warm, Renee!
Definitely don’t slow down the soup production, Marcie! This is the time of year to get them all in! I love all the winter veggies in here. It sounds so delicious and comforting!
I practically have a soup assembly line…there’s no slowing down here.:) Thanks, Liz!
Don’t you just love the versatility of minestrone soup? Choose your bean, choose your green, choose your starch etc. There is nothing like a fresh and sweet parsnip–I’m looking forward to choosing one for my next minestrone.
Thanks, Letty, and I do love the versatility of minestrone! Anything goes. 🙂
It got SO cold here this week and comfort foods are exactly what we need! Love all the winter veggies in this minestrone soup! It looks so comforting and delicious!
Thanks, Kelly! 🙂
Winter minestrone is SUCH a genius idea, Marcie! Can I even explain how badly I’m craving this bowl of gorgeousness right now?? It’s been SO cold in Wisconsin the past few days, I just want to eat all the soup! 😉
Thanks, Sarah! I’ve made this twice in 2 weeks and I just can’t seem to get tired of it. Hope you get more soup!
this soup looks so hearty and tasty! I love the addition of pancetta!
Thank you, Rachel!
I don’t think it’s possible to OD on comfort food, especially when it is wholesome and beautiful as this soup! Then again, I could have soup every day, if my family would let me. I’m sure they wouldn’t object to this 🙂
Thank you, Liren — and I could have soup every single day, too!
Minestrone is my wintertime go to. I tend to toss all the leftover veggies into a pot and call it minestrone. I’ll have to plan ahead and add pancetta next time.
That’s the glory of minestrone — anything goes! Thanks, Lydia!
I am completely with you on pasta and potatoes. I most of the time add quinoa and we love sweet potatoes, so that’s what happens always. Love minestrone and it is always nice to incorporate good healthy stuff in everyday cooking and then it becomes a habit and a tasty habit. Everything in it sounds so comforting and dang I need to make one. Pinning for sure.
xx
This is my favorite version of minestrone — the sweet potatoes and parsnips added a slight sweetness to the broth that I loved. Thanks, Ash!
This is comfort soup at it’s finest!! 😉
Why, thank you! 🙂
Mmm…I love that you used sweet potatoes and parsnips! Such a delicious twist on minestrone. And I’ve tried the trick of adding the parmesan rind before…it does make a huge difference! It almost gives it a creamy texture. This is perfect cure for the cold weather we’ve had. Keep the comfort food comin’! 🙂
I don’t know why I’d never tried parsnips in soup before — they were delicious! And I’ll definitely keep the comfort food comin’! 🙂
This looks just perfect!
Thank you, Melissa!
This looks so hearty and delicious! What a great winter soup!
Why do you use farro? What type do you use….pearled? Is it okay to leave out? Or can I use as a substitute?
Hi Sue — I use farro because I prefer it to pasta in minestrone. The farro I use is from Village Harvest or Bob’s Red Mill and I think it’s the emmer variety.
You can substitute it with the same amount of pasta or quinoa or omit it altogether.