Winter Minestrone with Pancetta and Stelline Pasta

Winter Minestrone with Pancetta and Stelline Pasta

This soup has all my favorite parts about Minestrone, the beans, veggies and tiny little pasta stars. I added my own favorites such as pancetta, rosemary sprigs and chard.

My recipe calls for:

*1 onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, diced
* 2 large russett potatoes, diced
* 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
* 4 celery stalks, chopped
* 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
* 1 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken or beef broth
* 4 cups of water
* 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
* 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
* 2 Bay leaves
* 2 pats of butter
* 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves thinly chopped
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
* 1 bag (250g) of Stelline Semolina Pasta Stars or tiny pasta

In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, potato, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add broth and water to the cooked vegetables. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Bring the
mixture to a boil.

In a seperate skillet heat butter and add the Swiss chard and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes or until the chard is wilted.

Add the cannellini beans, the stelline pasta and after mixing add in chard and parsley to the simmering soup base. The soup is done, but since it's so hot, it will continue to cook.

I usually separate a cup in a bowl to cool and try. I will add the appropriate seasonings after I try it.

This soup made a lot! Surprisingly warm and hearty I have quite a few jars of this soup and spent less than $20.00 on ingredients. That's just smart cooking!

xoxo,

Bekah