Confession: I’m a reluctant pumpkin-eater. Or nearly all winter squash for that matter. Not even in pumpkin pie. Something about the texture and nearly sweet flavor just makes me turn up my nose. Have to hide the pumpkin in bread or muffins before I can appreciate it…until this pumpkin minestrone soup came along…
As an adult cooking my own meals, I’ve conveniently been able to avoid eating winter squash. But I really do want to learn to love…or at least appreciate them. Going down the homesteading road and desiring to grow and preserve more of our own food, I knew finding storage crops that wouldn’t take up valuable freezer space would be an important next step. So last year I began searching for ways to eat winter squash and at least learn to tolerate the vegetable.
Enter the pumpkin minestrone soup. I was skeptical of squash in soup as the usual baby-food pureed butternut squash soup is not my cup of tea…er…soup. This pumpkin minestrone soup became an instant favorite. Plus, it was hearty enough for Farmer Nathan’s lunch and…guess what…the pumpkin isn’t so bad after all.
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This has been adapted from the Naturally Nourished cookbook with a few modifications to add a little more protein and micronutrient punch. We use bone broth instead of vegetable stock for the extra vitamins and minerals. Sometimes we add some cooked lentils to the pot. And as omnivores, we’re not opposed to a little shredded chicken for an even heartier soup. It can still be converted back to vegan/vegetarian easily enough!
Without further ado, here’s the recipe that converted this picky eater into willingly eating pumpkin not hidden in a muffin. I hope it passes the taste test of your own skeptical eaters.
Pumpkin Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pasta (gluten-free works too!)
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 3 onions
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 TBS rosemary
- 1 TBS thyme
- 3 leeks
- 3 ½ cups pumpkin (chopped into bite-sized cubes)
- 5 carrots, chopped
- 8 cups chicken stock/broth or vegetable for vegan option
- 1 ½ cups cooked and drained kidney beans
- 2 cups of greens (kale, chard, spinach, etc)
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- Salt to taste
- Drizzle of olive oil to look fancy serving
Optional Add-ins
- 1 cup cooked and drained lentils -OR-
- 1 cup shredded chicken
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to your packages instructions. Meanwhile, chop up all the various vegetables.
- In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions with a sprinkle of salt until they start to caramelize
- Add the garlic, herbs, leeks, pumpkin, and carrots to the pot and toss until fragrant (approx. 5 minutes)
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the beans, greens, pasta, and pepper. Salt to taste and serve with a drizzle of olive oil (optional).
Hope you enjoy this hearty and healthy pumpkin minestrone soup this fall and winter. Looking for more ideas, check out our tuscan vegetable soup for a quick weeknight dinner!