The Best Quinoa Minestrone

Name: The Best Quinoa Minestrone
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Olive Oil (2 tablespoons olive oil); 4 oz Pancetta (4 oz pancetta); 2 cup Carrot (2 cups carrots (about 3 carrots), peeled and chopped); 1 cup Celery (1 cup celery (about 2 stalks), chopped); 1 piece Russet Potato (1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into large pieces); 1 piece Yellow Onion (1 large yellow onion, diced); 5 cloves Garlic (5 cloves garlic, minced); ¼ tsp Dried Thyme (¼ teaspoon dried thyme); ½ tsp Dried Basil (½ teaspoon dried basil); ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes (½ teaspoon dried red pepper falkes); 28 oz Chopped Tomatoes (1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes); 8 cup Chicken Broth (8 cups chicken broth); 1 piece Bay Leaves (1 bay leaf); 0 pieces Salt and Pepper (salt and black pepper, to taste); 1 cup Quinoa (1 cup dry quinoa); 15 oz Canned White Beans (1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed); 10 oz Baby Spinach (10 oz baby spinach (roughly chopped if desired)); ½ cup Pinot Grigio (½ cup pinot grigio (or similar wine)); 2 tbsp Pistachios (2 tablespoons pesto (I used my homemade pistachio pesto)); 0 pieces Parmesan Cheese (Shredded parmesan cheese, optional) — optional; 0 pieces Pesto (Baguette smothered in my pistachio pesto, optional, but highly recommended!) — optional

60 minMediterranean

Servings8

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Gluten Free

Ingredients

For 8 servings

Olive Oil2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons olive oil
Pancetta4 oz · 4 oz pancetta
Carrot2 cup · 2 cups carrots (about 3 carrots), peeled and chopped
Celery1 cup · 1 cup celery (about 2 stalks), chopped
Russet Potato1 piece · 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into large pieces
Yellow Onion1 piece · 1 large yellow onion, diced
Garlic5 cloves · 5 cloves garlic, minced
Dried Thyme¼ tsp · ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Dried Basil½ tsp · ½ teaspoon dried basil
Red Pepper Flakes½ tsp · ½ teaspoon dried red pepper falkes
Chopped Tomatoes28 oz · 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
Chicken Broth8 cup · 8 cups chicken broth
Bay Leaves1 piece · 1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper0 pieces · salt and black pepper, to taste
Quinoa1 cup · 1 cup dry quinoa
Canned White Beans15 oz · 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Baby Spinach10 oz · 10 oz baby spinach (roughly chopped if desired)
Pinot Grigio½ cup · ½ cup pinot grigio (or similar wine)
Pistachios2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons pesto (I used my homemade pistachio pesto)
Parmesan Cheese0 pieces · Shredded parmesan cheese, optional · optional
Pesto0 pieces · Baguette smothered in my pistachio pesto, optional, but highly recommended! · optional

Make it mine in the app

Steps

1Start by prepping your pancetta and vegetables.
2Cut the pancetta into medium sized chunks (larger than bite sized, because they'll cook down in the pan) and roughly chop some carrots and celery. Then peel and chop a large russet potato. I keep these chunks larger, because they break down a lot in the soup.
3Next, dice some yellow onion and mince some garlic.
4Throw the olive oil in a large stock (or soup) pot and let it warm up over medium heat.
5Once warm, add in the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, until lightly browned.
6Then, add the onions, carrots, celery, and potato to the pot and cook for medium heat for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Again, stir occasionally. In the last 30 - 60 seconds, add in the garlic, dried thyme, dried basil, and red pepper flakes.
7Now add in the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and a bay leaf. Give it a quick stir and season with salt and pepper. Don't season too aggressively, because the pancetta and chicken broth already have salt. You can add more later on, if necessary!
8Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower to medium and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes.
9Then add in the dry quinoa and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the quinoa is cooked.
10Now discard the bay leaf and add in the beans, white wine, and pesto.
11Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the baby spinach.
12Re-season with salt and pepper and place back on the stove to warm it back up, if necessary!
13Serve immediately with an optional sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese and a side of crusty baguette smothered in pesto!