Wintery Minestrone
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2-3 cups butternut sqaush, chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 2 lbs Italian chicken sasuage, sliced into rounds
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (use white wine vinegar if strict paleo)
- 1 tsp good kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh pepper
- 10+ sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from the stem
- 2 32-oz containers chicken stock
- 1 25-oz jar good marinara sauce
- 8 oz chickpea rice (I used Banza brand. Use cauliflower rice if strict paleo)
- 3-4 cups kale, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle the pan with olive oil so that it's mostly coated. Once the oil is shining, add the carrots, celery, butternut squash, and onion. Saute for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Once vegetables are golden and browning slightly, add the garlic. Saute for 2 minutes more. Add the chicken sausages and saute for 2 minutes more, or until they get a slightly browned edge.
- Add the salt, fresh pepper, and thyme leaves. Stir and saute for 1-3 minutes or until thyme is fragrant. Then, deglaze the pan by adding the white wine/vinegar and scrapping the bottom of the dutch oven with a wooden spoon. As the alcohol/vinegar boils, this will help release the fond (browned flavor on bottom of pan).
- After the wine/vinegar has cooked down for about 3 minutes, add the chicken stock and marinara. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the chickpea rice or cauliflower rice, if using. Cover the dutch oven and let the soup simmer on very low for approximately 30 minutes.
- Add the thinly sliced kale and fresh chopped parsley. Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes more. This will cook all the ingredients through and let the flavors meld.
- Serve hot with more fresh herbs and parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!