This butternut squash minestrone soup is the perfect winter meal. It’s filled with hearty vegetables and ham and ready in about an hour.
I remember the first cold day of the season when I made this soup. I wanted something warming and substantial that didn’t take all day to prepare. While slow cooker soups are comforting, I didn’t want to wait hours before enjoying a hot bowl. This minestrone gives you cozy, hearty flavor in just a little over an hour.
The soup is loaded with vegetables and ham, and I finish it with a spoonful of store-bought pesto for an extra flavor boost. If you have homemade pesto on hand, use that instead—I think a garlic scape or basil pesto would be excellent here. The recipe is flexible: make it vegetarian by swapping vegetable stock for chicken and leaving out the ham; use acorn squash instead of butternut if that’s what you have; or swap escarole for spinach if you prefer. The soup adapts well to what’s in your pantry.
When serving, I like to keep the pasta separate until you’re ready to eat. Adding cooked pasta directly to the pot can cause it to soak up the broth and become mushy. Instead, spoon pasta into each bowl and ladle the hot soup over top. Finish each bowl with a dollop of pesto for brightness and depth.
Love this butternut squash minestrone soup recipe?
If you enjoy this soup, try other comforting bowls like spicy chicken lime soup, New England clam chowder, or curried lentil vegetable soup for more variety in your meal rotation.
Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup
This butternut squash minestrone soup is a comforting winter meal, full of vegetables, beans, and ham. It’s ready in about an hour and makes a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups diced ham steak, bite-size pieces
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (32 ounce) containers chicken stock
- 2 cups butternut squash, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups packed chopped escarole (or spinach)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound small pasta, cooked separately
- Pesto, store-bought or homemade, for serving
Adapted from Bon Appétit recipe inspiration.
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced ham, chopped celery, and chopped onion. Cook about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken stock, then add the butternut squash, green beans, and ham hock. Increase the heat to high to bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the squash and beans are tender, about 20–30 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
Stir in the cannellini beans and chopped escarole, cooking just until the beans are warmed through and the greens have wilted. Remove the ham hock, shred any meat from it and return the meat to the soup if desired, or discard the hock.
Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. If the soup becomes too thick during cooking, add more stock or water until you reach your preferred consistency. I prefer a slightly thick minestrone, but adjust the liquid to your liking.
To serve: place a portion of cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the hot soup over the pasta, or add pasta directly to the pot just before serving. Top each bowl with a spoonful of pesto for a bright finish.
