1teaspoonsalt(more or less depening on sodium level of broth)
1teaspoonblack pepper(or red pepper if preferred)
1parmesan rind(optional)
2bay leaves
26ozcan of diced tomatoes
6-8cupschicken broth
15ozcan of cannellini beansrinsed and drained
½ - ¾cupsdry small pasta, like ditalini(see note for small pasta types and measurements)
Finishing touches
8ozspinach(or kale or shredded brussels sprouts)
½cupdry white wine(any non-sweet white wine or vermouth you would drink)
2-3tablespoonpesto
Instructions
Prep produce
Cut the onion and celery into a small dice, and finely chop the garlic. Cut the carrots, butternut squash, and sweet potato into bite-sized pieces for soup. Roughly chop spinach (or kale, stems and ribs removed).
Make the soup
Cook aromatics, about 10 minutes: Heat 2 tablespoon bacon grease (or butter) in a large soup pot (minimum of 6 quarts, see note). Add the diced onion and celery, cook until it smells good and the onions turn translucent (about 6-8 minutes). Add the garlic, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook 2-3 more minutes until it smells good. (The oils in thyme are fat soluable, so cooking them in fat before broth is added intensifies the flavor).
Add more vegetables & broth, cook 20 minutes: Add the diced carrots, butternut squash, sweet potato, can of diced tomatoes, 6 cups of broth, Parmesan rind (optional), and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost soft (they will continue to cook after adding the pasta).
Taste, add salt as needed, remove herbs & Parmesan. At this point, give it a taste and add salt if needed. Remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind.
Add beans & pasta, cook 8-10 minutes: Add the can of beans and dry pasta. Cook as long as pasta package indicates.
Thick vs thin soup: at this point, the soup is probably pretty thick. Add more broth if you want a thinner soup.
Almost done! Add finishing touches
Add spinach & wine: cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
Add pesto to the pot or add about 1 teaspoon to each bowl when served.
Notes
Butter or bacon grease: I usually buy bacon and cook it the night before, saving the bacon fat for this soup. It adds depth but doesn't add a noticeable bacon flavor. If you don't want the fuss, butter is a good substitute, followed by olive oil.Pasta: you want about 2 cups of cooked pasta in the end (give or take, based on your preferences). You can cook the pasta in a separate pot if you're worried about measurements. I like to cook it in one pot to save on dishes. Below is a list of the approximate amount of dried pasta needed to make 2 cups cooked.
Ditalini or tubetti (my favorite for this soup): ½ cup dry
Elbows: just shy of 1 cup dry
Orzo: about ¾ cup dry
Soup pot: the standard dutch oven size is 6 quarts. This recipe will fill it to about 1-2 inches from the top, so anything smaller won't work.