I normally don’t post this soon after I make a recipe ……..but Bratwurst Minestrone just couldn’t wait!
It is absolutely freezing today…….with wind chill it feels like -13……thats right minus! So, it’s the perfect day for soup.
It is also Sunday……football playoffs. Bratwurst is football food right? It’s freezing, so soup is on the agenda…….Bratwurst Minestrone!
This soup is hearty, with just a touch of heat. Loaded with veggies, and of course the bratwurst.
Minestrone is a thick soup made with vegetables… Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, pasta and tomatoes.
Italian in origin there is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables that happen to be in season. It can be made with or without meat.
To the usual carrot, onion,and celery mixture, I added butternut squash……the seasonal ingredient, and finished with spinach for color.
I used Ditali Pasta small, short-cut pasta tubes that are approximately 3/8″ long, but you can use any small pasta. Elbow macaroni would work great.
In the bratwurst world no one beats Johnsonville Beer ‘n Brats.
They were the perfect brat for Bratwurst Minestrone.
This soup was super easy to make and took under an hour to make. The ingredients are mostly pantry staples, so you may have everything already on hand.
The games aren’t over yet so whip up a pot of Bratwurst Minestrone and cheer on your favorite team……..between spoonfuls!
PrintBratwurst Minestrone
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Bratwurst, cut into 1inch slices
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
- 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
- 1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped
- 2 cups (½-inch-diced) peeled butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups canned chicken broth
- 1 14 1/2-to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup good dry white wine
- 1 15- to 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup small pasta, uncooked
- 8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Instructions
- Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bratwurst and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, thyme, crushed red pepper and bayleaf. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes with their juices, and white wine.
- Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes.
- Add macaroni and beans to soup and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add pesto and spinach stirring until pesto is incorporated and spinach is just wilted. Adjust seasoning.
- Serve with parmesan cheese, and crusty bread if desired.
Made this tonight. It was fantastic! It was a great idea for a cold night! Thanks!
I am so happy you liked it. Thanks Deb!