Minestrone with Cabbage and Anelli

minestrone with cabbage and anelli served in a white dish
Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Prep Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins
Yield:
6 to 8 Serves

A vibrant vegetarian soup showcases late-summer tomatoes along with fall produce, cabbage, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes. Small, ring-shaped pasta like anelli makes this dish hearty but still light enough for those warm, early autumn days.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cocktail tomatoes

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 medium red onion, chopped (2 cups)

  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)

  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (1 cup)

  • 2 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces (1 cup)

  • ½ small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)

  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (2 cups)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste

  • 1 piece (2 inches) Parmesan rind (optional)

  • ½ small green cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)

  • 4 ounces anelli or other small ring-shaped pasta

  • Chopped fresh parsley and cilantro, for serving

Directions

  1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, score a small X in the bottom of each tomato and prepare an ice-water bath. Add tomatoes to pot; boil just until skins begin to peel back from flesh where scored, about 30 seconds. Drain; plunge into ice-water bath until cool. Drain and peel tomatoes, then halve, seed, and chop.

  2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add both onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery, squash, and sweet potato; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

  3. Stir in chopped tomatoes, Parmesan rind, cabbage, 2 teaspoons salt, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender and flavors have melded and mellowed, 35 to 40 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain. To serve, spoon a small amount of pasta into serving bowls, ladle hot soup over, and top with herbs and a drizzle of oil.

Cook's Notes

Anelli are available at amazon.com and some grocery stores, but other small shapes like ditalini also work here.

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