Bean and Pasta Stew with Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto (Pasta e Fagioli)

Serves 4-6

Another great thing about this pasta is that it all cooks in one pot. You don’t have to cook the pasta separately because you want the soup to thicken slightly and the pasta really helps that happen naturally as it cooks.

I partnered up with GoGo Quinoa for his recipe and I really couldn’t wait to use their Organic Anelli Rice & Quinoa Vegetable & Turmeric blend pasta to make this classic Italian soup. This soup is usually made with short pasta and this was the perfect pasta shape for it. This gluten free bite sized pasta of premium quality is made with a blend of organic quinoa and white rice flour. It’s a tricolor pasta and the colours are obtained naturally from beets, spinach and turmeric. It’s the perfect addition to this soup and any soup (and great as a pasta salad as well!). It holds up really well and that is why I cooked it right in the soup as opposed to boiling it separately and adding it in to the soup after, although that is an option. If I can make any meal one-pan or pot I will and it worked well with this soup.

I wanted a fall twist on this and got inspired by a Fine Cooking recipe that added butternut squash to this dish. I thought that was genius and loved that creamy sweetness is adds to this soup. I always love a nice pesto or herb sauce to go over a soup like this, and the same recipe called for a parsley and sage pesto. Sage goes so well with all the squashes and fall veggies and made for the perfect flavour addition to the overall dish. It’s simple to whip up in your food processor or mini chopper and worth the extra step to make because it’s just so delicious swirled in a big bowl of this soup! You will love it!

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP

• 227 g package of GoGo Quinoa Anelli Rice & Quinoa Pasta
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow small onion diced fine
• 2 stalks of celery chopped very fine
• 2-½ cups diced (½ to ¾ inch) butternut squash
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• ½ cup dry white wine (optional – could substitute with broth)
• 6 cups lower-salt vegetable broth
• 15-oz. can borlotti (or cranberry or Roman) beans, rinsed and drained*
• 14-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes with juice, crushed (I used whole baby tomatoes)
• Salt and pepper to Tate

FOR THE PESTO

• 1 packed cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 to 3 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh sage
• 1 medium clove garlic, chopped
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

For the soup

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat and add the onion and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the squash and stir to combine. Then add the aromatics, parsley, sage, garlic, and pepper flakes, if using, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about another minute.

4. Add the broth, pasta beans, and tomatoes. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, and simmer gently until the squash and pasta is tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir immediately with the pesto. As the soup sits it will thicken so if reheating you may need to add a little water to help thin it out.

   For the pesto

5. Place the parsley, sage, and garlic in a food processor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the oil.

6. Pulse until finely chopped, adding more oil if necessary to thin out into more of a sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl and serve with the soup.