This Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup is my go-to comforting meal that’s full of healthy veggies and uses plant-based cauliflower pasta for a lighter option. Elegant enough for a dinner party or perfect to meal prep on a busy week.
As the seasons change and the air becomes more crisp, I can’t help but crave warm foods! The NYC marathon is right around the corner and training has ramped up, so I am looking for easy one pot meals that offer protein and carbohydrates, but are also packed with nutrients and make for great leftovers throughout the week.
This training block has been a bit different for me for many reasons! I have been feeling better than I have in years running – I really feel like I am tapping into my potential as a runner.
Looking back at the last 3 years of marathoning I at first never understood how someone raced the marathon! For me it was just about surviving 26.2 miles…that was until I ran the London Marathon this past April. The marathon takes extreme patience, you have to be willing to sit back for 20 miles and then really go for it.
After experiencing London and getting a grasp at how to execute the race, I’m going into New York with more expectations and goals. I think the London marathon was the first marathon I didn’t lead with fear because there were little to no expectations. I had a really hard time building mileage over the winter and was just doing the bare minimum. I learned a big lesson about mindset during my London training about when we lead with fear we are holding ourselves back.
With that race under my belt and feeling a bit better and more like myself, I am going for it in NYC this time. I am not training with a coach this time around and am following a pretty basic 16 week marathon build up strategy plus doing some speed workouts. My big focus is going to be on conquering hills and doing more hill repeats.
My other marathon training strategy has been getting work done in the gym through strength training! This has been the biggest shift for me and the reason I think I have been able to run healthy for this long.
Of course, with all that comes proper fueling and to be honest sometimes the last thing I want to do is a cook when I am in deep marathon training. This Fall Minestrone is inspired by all the miles and hard work so we can spend less time in the kitchen and more time recovering and getting those miles in.
This Fall Minestrone is packed full of vitamins and nutrients thanks to the carrots, butternut squash, and tomatoes. Warm herbs like rosemary and thyme infuse a rich fall flavor into every bite. It’s truly such a hearty recipe.
I couldn’t make this recipe without some of my favorite pantry staples from Now Foods. They’re my go-to resource when I’m stocking up on my essential ingredients. Their Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cauliflower and Multigrain Rotini Pasta, and nutritional yeast are simply the best. Use my code RUNNINGONVEGGIES for 20% off!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Crowd favorite. The fall flavors make this minestrone extra delicious, my friends and family always request this soup when the weather gets chilly.
- Meal prep dream! This is great for meal prep on a busy week. Freeze for up to 2 months, thaw and reheat for a quick and easy dinner.
- Customize to your liking. Minestrone is so tasty with whatever seasonal ingredients are available. Simple
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup
- Now Foods Avocado Oil: The only cooking oil I use for this recipe.
- Yellow onion: Creates a nice vegetable base.
- Garlic: Adds that sweet and savory flavor we all love.
- Carrots: Adds a nice vegetable sweetness.
- Butternut squash: Great richness of fall flavors, use whatever squash you like.
- Rosemary and Sage: Gives that rich winter and fall herby goodness.
- Red chili flakes: Adds a hint of spice!
- Vegetable stock: The broth for the soup. Look for low sodium and no added sugars.
- Diced tomatoes: Adds freshness and a nice light tomato flavor.
- Cannellini beans: Great source of plant-based protein.
- Now Foods Cauliflower and Multigrain Rotini Pasta: A filling pasta that’s also vegetable-based too!
- Now Foods Nutritional Yeast Flakes: A cheesy flavor that’s totally dairy-free.
- Parsley: The perfect garnish!
How to Make Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the carrots and butternut squash and cook until just starting to become tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rosemary, sage, and red chili flake during the last minute of cooking. Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs.
- Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, and beans and bring the soup to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes partially covered, until the squash and carrots are tender. Add the pasta midway through cooking and simmer according to package instructions until al dente. Add 1 to 2 cups of water as necessary depending on thickness after cooking pasta.
- Taste to adjust the seasoning and serve garnished with nutritional yeast and parsley.
Tips
- You can buy peeled and diced squash to keep it easy on the prep for this recipe. This makes it so simple to throw this soup recipe together!
- Swap out the vegetables. Customize the veggies to the season. Use your favorite kind of squash, or add other veggies and greens too like peas, kale or spinach.
- Only simmer the pasta in the soup when ready to serve. The pasta acts as thickener to the minestrone. So if your soup does become too thick, then simply add additional liquid and continue cooking until the right consistency.
Storage
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature then store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through. If the stew is thick after reheating, simply add some more water or stock until the desired consistency.
For freezing this stew, I recommend not adding the noodles but just freezing the base for up to 2 months. You can add the noodles to serve and boil them separately, so it doesn’t change the texture or flavor.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Lemon Fish with Leeks Pistachios and Olives
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Green Tahini Sauce
- Tofu and Chickpea Brown Rice Bowl
- Creamy Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Now Foods Avocado Oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary
- 2 teaspoons freshly chopped sage
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (8-ounce) box Now Foods Cauliflower and Multigrain Rotini Pasta or noodle of choice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Now Foods Nutritional Yeast to garnish
- Freshly chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with the olive oil.Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the carrots and butternut squash and cook until just starting to become tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rosemary, sage, and red chili flake during the last minute of cooking. Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs.
- Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, and beans and bring the soup to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes partially covered, until the squash and carrots are tender. Add the pasta midway through cooking and simmer according to package instructions until al dente. Add 1 to 2 cups of water as necessary depending on thickness after cooking pasta.
- Taste to adjust the seasoning and serve garnished with nutritional yeast and parsley.