Fall Minestrone Soup combines roasted butternut squash, sturdy kale, root vegetables and a deeply flavored vegetable broth for a nourishing, satisfying bowl of autumn comfort. This chunky, vegan minestrone is simple to prepare, budget friendly, and ideal for meal prep—full of texture, color and seasonal flavor.
Autumn brings an abundance of winter squash, and butternut is especially well suited to hearty soups. Rather than puréeing the squash, this recipe keeps it in bite-sized cubes so the soup stays chunky and textured. Paired with beans, pasta and leafy greens, it makes a complete, filling meal.
Ingredients
Step by Step
Begin by preparing the vegetables: dice the onion, thinly slice the celery, carrot and parsnips, and peel and finely grate the garlic. A microplane or a garlic press makes quick work of the garlic, but finely mincing works just as well.
To cut the squash, trim a thin slice from the top and bottom for stability, halve lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and peel. A sturdy vegetable peeler helps remove the skin cleanly.
Place each half cut-side down on the board and slice lengthwise into 1/4″ strips, then cross-cut to form small cubes. Small, uniform dice will cook evenly and look attractive in the finished soup.
Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium. Sauté the onion in a splash of olive oil or a few tablespoons of vegetable broth until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, parsnips and Italian seasoning, then season with salt and pepper. If you made a no-salt vegetable broth, you may want a little extra salt here.
If the pan looks dry, add vegetable broth a tablespoon at a time to deglaze and prevent sticking. Add the grated or minced garlic directly to the pot and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant—avoid browning the garlic.
Immediately add the diced tomatoes with their juices, the cubed butternut and two bay leaves so the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir to combine.
Pour in vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. While the soup simmers, cook the pasta in a separate pot but stop 2 minutes before it reaches the package’s suggested doneness—it will finish cooking in the soup.
When the squash is tender, stir in the partially cooked pasta and drained beans. Heat through for a few minutes so flavors meld and the pasta finishes cooking.
Remove the pot from the heat, add the chopped kale and stir until it wilts. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper for heat.
Debra’s Pro Tips:
- Cook the pasta al dente so it holds shape after being added to the soup. Begin checking for doneness two minutes before the package time, especially for gluten-free varieties.
- Using a homemade low-sodium vegetable broth lets you control the salt level. If you use store-bought broth, check the sodium and adjust salt in the soup accordingly.
- If you like spice, add crushed red pepper, a pinch of cayenne, or a drizzle of hot sauce just before serving.
If you made this recipe, please consider rating it and leaving a comment. Share photos and tag me on social media so I can see your version.
📖 Recipe
Fall Harvest Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Microplane or garlic press (optional)
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, etc.)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 3 cups)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup dried pasta (small shapes), cooked just shy of al dente
- 2 cups chopped kale, thick ribs removed
Instructions
- Prepare all vegetables: dice onion and celery, peel and dice carrots and parsnips, peel and dice the squash, peel the garlic, and wash and roughly chop the kale after removing ribs.
- Heat a large pot over medium. Sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil or 1–2 tablespoons vegetable broth until softened, about 3 minutes. Add carrots, celery, parsnips, Italian seasoning and salt; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add broth a tablespoon at a time if the pan dries.
- Add the garlic and mix briefly, then immediately stir in the diced tomatoes, squash and bay leaves. Pour in the remaining stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook about 20 minutes, until the squash is tender.
- While the soup simmers, cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions but stop 2 minutes early so it finishes cooking in the soup.
- Stir the drained pasta and beans into the soup to heat through. Turn off the heat, add the chopped kale and stir until wilted.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or crushed red pepper. Serve hot.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze up to 3 months. The pasta and squash absorb liquid over time—add extra broth when reheating if needed.
Notes
See the step-by-step photos above for guidance on peeling and dicing butternut squash. For dietary needs, use gluten-free pasta if required and check package timing closely.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Serving size: 2 cups
- Calories: 185 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Vitamin A: 17393 IU
- Vitamin C: 44 mg
- Potassium: 795 mg
- Sodium: approximately 225 mg (varies with broth)