Mini Tortellini Minestrone

Minestrone soup: but load it up for a hearty and healthy athlete-friendly meal (or two!). Two kinds of beans (healthy proteins!), butternut squash and leafy greens (extra veggies!), bone broth (extra protein!) and rather than plain-Jane pasta, I couldn’t resist mini-tortellinis.

Inspiration:

Does anyone else have nostalgia for the Olive Garden’s endless bowls of minestrone and breadsticks? I have always loved Minestrone - growing up it was a staple that my dad made (hi, dad!), and even today, as the snow is about to fall; I thought this is exactly the soup recipe that this hungry athlete needs right now. 

So here we are. Minestrone soup: but load it up for a hearty and healthy athlete-friendly meal (or two!). Two kinds of beans (healthy proteins!), butternut squash and leafy greens (extra veggies!), bone broth (extra protein!) and rather than plain-Jane pasta, I couldn’t resist mini-tortellinis (you can find them at Trader Joes or in the bulk bins at many health food stores) as the perfect addition to this soup. 

The beauty of a soup like this is that it’s hard to mess up. Feel free to clean out the fridge, use what you have on hand, omit what you don’t like or add in some of your favorites. You really can’t go wrong. 

I served this with chunky sourdough bread from the local baker and we had a simple-to-make, healthy, hearty dinner (plus leftovers) that I couldn’t recommend more. Do it!

Ingredients:

serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme, minced
1 sprig fresh oregano, minced
1 parmesan rind (optional), plus grated parmesan for serving
6 cups vegetable stock or bone broth
1 pound (8 oz) mini tortellini (or pasta of choice)
1 small butternut squash, halved, seeded, and diced
1 zucchini, diced
¼ cup fresh basil, minced
4 cups greens (kale! spinach!), thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
chili flakes (optional - if you like spicy)

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to soften the vegetables, about 7 minutes. Turn down the heat as needed to avoid browning. Pour in the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Add the kidney and cannellini beans. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano and parmesan rind and season with salt and pepper. Add the squash and stir well. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season well with salt, and add the tortellini. Cook according to package directions, being careful not to overcook. Drain the tortellini and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Add the zucchini, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the basil and the greens and stir to wilt them into the soup.

Remove from the heat, spoon some tortellini into each bowl, top with the soup. Finish with grated parmesan and crushed red pepper (optional).

A quick note

Stock vs broth vs bone broth. You may have noticed the sheer volume of options at the grocery store for stocks, broths and gaining popularity: bone broths. Stock is made from bones. Broth is made mostly from meat or vegetables. Both are cooked over a short amount of time. Bone broth is made from bones, veggies and seasonings and it is simmered over a long period of time, helping to draw out the nutrients. Bone broth contains the most amount of protein of all the options. Bone broth is also rich in collagen, amino acids and other incredible nutrients that help to support gut health and the immune system. If you haven’t tried bone broth when cooking soups, I highly recommend it for the added flavor boost and additional nutrients.