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–+ servings
Two bowls of hearty vegetable and rice soup with greens and sweet potatoes, garnished with herbs and crispy bacon, are placed on a wooden table next to a beige napkin and two spoons.
Penny Kovacs

Autumn Minestrone Soup

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This Autumn Minestrone Soup will warm your heart all through fall and winter! It's extra hearty and delicious with butternut, kale, carrots, celery, and orzo pasta all in a rich tomatoey broth. Oh and theres bacon too because everything is better with bacon!
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 people
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 pieces Bacon cut in 1" pieces
  • 4 whole Carrots diced
  • 4 ribs Celery diced
  • 1 cup Onion diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
  • 4 cups Butternut Squash cubed small and precooked
  • 5 oz Baby Kale
  • 1 cup Orzo I used Jovial cassava - see note
  • 4 cups Crushed Tomatoes
  • 8 cups Beef Broth I like Kettle & Fire
  • 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 tsp Thyme dried
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Basil dried
  • 1 tsp Oregano dried
  • 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 cups Water if needed to thin soup a bit

Method
 

  1. Cook bacon in a large pot till crisp and move to paper towel lined plate.
  2. Discard all but 2 tbsp bacon fat.
  3. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook till onions are translucent.
  4. Add garlic, stirring one minute.
  5. Add broth and bring to a boil.
  6. Add orzo and cook 10 minutes.
  7. Add tomatoes, nutritional yeast, spice and vinegar.
  8. Simmer 10 minutes.
  9. Add butternut and kale, stir till kale wilts.
  10. Stir bacon in.
  11. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Cassava orzo was used to keep the recipe Paleo and Whole30 friendly but you can use whatever orzo you prefer.  Brown rice orzo is also delicious in this soup.

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