Squash Minestrone

Name: Squash Minestrone
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400g Plum Tomatoes, canned; 1 loaf Crusty Bread, to serve; 100g Pasta, small shapes, such as shells; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Onion, roughly chopped; 1 tins Kidney Beans; 2 Celery Sticks, sliced; 2 small Carrots, chopped; 1 tin Cannellini Beans; 1 Bay Leaf; 1 Rosemary Sprigs; 3 Garlic Cloves, sliced; 1 Leek, cleaned and roughly sliced; 500g Squash, or pumpkin, cut into small cubes; Maldon Salt, to taste; Black Pepper, to taste; 30g Hard Italian Cheese, grated; Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to drizzle; 4 Lemon Wedges; 15g Parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped

by Joe Woodhouse

Vegetarian

15m prep time

60m total time

Easy level

20 ingredients

Squash Minestrone recipe by Joe Woodhouse

I couldn’t begin to start counting how many times I’ve made and eaten this dish; to say it’s a go-to is an understatement. I could happily eat it every day. We used to eat a similar version as a family when I was a child, which I have carried on making. I know it sounds odd to some people, but the leftovers from dinner make the best breakfast. For me, it’s the perfect way to start the day, or to end it, for that matter. If made ahead, minestrone just gets better the longer it sits. Dare I say double-batch? I took the minestrone in the photo camping with us. A quick reheat and we had a nourishing and warming meal in the drizzly Suffolk countryside.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Set a large saucepan that will fit everything over a medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrots with a good pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the bay, rosemary, garlic and leek and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Step 2

Now add the tomatoes and crush them up a little with a wooden spoon. Follow with the diced squash or pumpkin, pour in the measured water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 7–10 minutes. Then add the beans, adding the liquid from the cans, and the pasta. Return to a simmer and cook until the pasta is al dente, according to the packet instructions, though it will keep cooking after you take it off the heat, so err on the only-just-cooked side.

Step 3

Stir in the parsley, then check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese, extra virgin olive oil, lemon wedges to squeeze over and crusty bread.

Ingredients
Based on 4 servings

400g Plum Tomatoes, canned 1 x Stamford Street Co. Peeled Plum Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g
1 loaf Crusty Bread, to serve 1 x Sainsbury's 400g Sourdough Pave Bread, Taste the Difference
100g Pasta, small shapes, such as shells 1 x Sainsbury's Macaroni Pasta 500g
2 tbsp Olive Oil 1 x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml
1 Onion, roughly chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
1 tins Kidney Beans 1 x Sainsbury's Red Kidney Beans in Water 400g (240g*)
2 Celery Sticks, sliced 1 x Sainsbury's Celery
2 small Carrots, chopped 2 x Sainsbury's Loose Carrots
1 tin Cannellini Beans 1 x Sainsbury's Cannellini Beans In Water 400g (235g*)
1 Bay Leaf 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Bay Leaves
1 Rosemary Sprigs 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Rosemary 20g
3 Garlic Cloves, sliced 1 x Sainsbury's Large Garlic
1 Leek, cleaned and roughly sliced 1 x Sainsbury's Leeks Loose
500g Squash, or pumpkin, cut into small cubes 1 x Sainsbury's Butternut Squash Loose
Maldon Salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
Black Pepper, to taste 1 x Sainsbury's Black Peppercorn Grinder 50g
30g Hard Italian Cheese, grated 1 x Stamford Street Co. Italian Hard Cheese 200g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to drizzle 1 x Napolina Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml
4 Lemon Wedges 1 x Sainsbury's Lemons
15g Parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Flat Leaf Parsley 30g