The combination of collard greens, sweet potatoes, and fennel yields a hearty and filling winter minestrone soup. The delicious broth is flavored with fire roasted tomatoes, rosemary, garlic, red pepper, and bay leaves. Cannellini beans add a bit of protein while pasta lends a nice carb-y element to this vegan and gluten free soup.
I am a slowly evolving former soup-hater. Maybe you can relate? Once I started making and seasoning my own soups at home, they grew on me. And now, they’re one of my go-to dinners during the colder months! There’s something really satisfying about tossing things in a pot and letting them mingle together in a flavorful, brothy bath. Plus, nothing seems to impart more warmth on a cold day than a bowl of soup.
This winter minestrone with collards, sweet potatoes, and fennel is a new favorite and one I’m sure will make it into your winter soup rotation. Though it requires a good bit of veggie chopping and prep beforehand, the actual cooking process is as simple as adding things to your pot and setting timers. That’s it! Plus, this recipe yields 6-8 generous servings which means you can freeze some for later if you want.
What is Minestrone?
Originating in Italy, minestrone is a vegetable soup. Depending on the region, it can be thicker or more brothy and often includes beans and pasta. The vegetables added to minestrone vary by the season which is perfect for anyone trying to eat more locally or seasonally! For the version I’m sharing here, it’s suited to what I had access to locally: fennel and collards from a local farm and the last of the sweet potatoes I grew in my garden last fall.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Typically I don’t share recipes with *quite* this many ingredients but everything works together to build a flavorful and filling soup!
- Olive Oil – helps to soften the base veggies and carry flavor in the soup.
- Onion, Carrots, & Celery – these 3 veggies, the French flavor base called “mirepoix”, form the aromatic base of the soup. They lend sweetness and a little earthiness.
- Garlic – adds that characteristic Italian flavor to the soup.
- Rosemary & Bay Leaves – both of these herbs lend a savory, herby flavor to the soup, helping to amp up the flavor of the broth.
- Fennel Bulb – adds a lovely anise flavor to the soup that pairs really well with the tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Sweet Potato – adds a starchy sweetness and bulk to the soup that makes it feel more nourishing and filling.
- Collard Greens – add lots of great nutrients to the soup in addition to their subtle earthiness.
- Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes – lend a smoky and sweet element to the soup along with some added moisture.
- Red Pepper Flakes – depending on how much you use, they add a subtle or punchy bit of spice.
- Vegetable Broth – provides the bulk of the moisture in the soup and helps to soften and cook the veggies and pasta.
- Cannellini Beans – add a little extra protein to the soup along with a lovely creamy texture.
- Pasta – the pasta is cooked in the broth of the soup, making it a flavorful addition that is a nice contrast to all of the veggies. I used a gluten free pasta but you can use a regular one if you like.
- Lemon – each serving of soup is finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The tartness of the lemon perks up the soup and keeps it from feeling too heavy.
- Your favorite bread – optional but highly recommend to help soak up and enjoy the flavorful soup broth. Plus, what’s cozier than a soup and bread combo?!
FAQ
Do I need to use the same veggies?
Since eating seasonally is about eating what is locally available to you throughout each season, feel free to change up the veggies! I recommend keeping the celery, onion, and carrot in the recipe since they form the flavor base. You can substitute roughly the same amount of any chopped veg for the sweet potato and fennel and any leafy green for the collards.
Do I need to make the full recipe or can I half it?
Since you’re already going to the trouble of chopping up all of the veggies, I recommend making the full recipe and freezing what you know you can’t eat for later! Or, you can share some with a neighbor or a friend.
Can I use a different broth if I’m not vegetarian or vegan?
Of course! Use any broth that you like.
Is this recipe gluten free and/or vegan?
As I made it and have written it below, it is both gluten free and vegan! Feel free to use regular pasta instead of gluten free if that works for you.
Winter Minestrone with Collards, Sweet Potatoes, & Fennel
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The combination of collard greens, sweet potatoes, and fennel yields a hearty and filling winter minestrone soup. The delicious broth is flavored with fire roasted tomatoes, rosemary, garlic, red pepper, and bay leaves. Cannellini beans add a bit of protein while pasta lends a nice carb-y element to this vegan and gluten free soup.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow or white onion, diced
- 2 medium/large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1 fennel bulb, core removed & discarded then diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced
- 28 ounces canned fire roasted tomatoes (if you can’t find the larger size can, feel free to use 2 of the smaller ones!)
- 1 quart of vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2–3 pinches of red pepper flakes
- sea salt to taste
- 1 cup uncooked gluten free pasta (a smaller pasta is best, like a macaroni or a shell)
- 1 can of cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch of collard greens, roughly chopped
- 1–2 lemons for serving
- bread for serving (optional)
Instructions
Before you start your soup, make sure you have all of your veggies chopped and the remaining ingredients ready. Start by heating a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil has come to temperature, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Allow these to cook, stirring frequently for about 7-8 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and rosemary and allow the mixture to cook for 2 minutes more.
Next, add the diced fennel, sweet potato, the fire roasted tomatoes and all of their juices, the broth, the water, the bay leaves, the red pepper flakes, and a large pinch or two of salt. I used about a teaspoon of salt here. Stir everything together, then turn the heat up to medium-high. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pot partially with a lid, then allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. If the soup starts to boil, turn the heat back down to medium.
After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add the uncooked pasta, the beans, and the collards. Simmer the soup uncovered until the pasta is cooked (this will take between 15-20 minutes depending on the type of pasta you used). Once the pasta is cooked, your minestrone is done! Taste it and add more salt as needed.
Serve your minestrone with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your favorite bread on the side.
Notes
- If you don’t need to eat gluten free, feel free to substitute the same amount of regular uncooked pasta.
- You can substitute an equal amount of any chopped veggies you like for the sweet potatoes and fennel. And, you can use any leafy greens you like in place of the collards.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: soup
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