Author Notes
When I have skipped grocery shopping or when I'm trying to clean out the crisper, I tend to make a variation of one of the following dishes: frittata, pasta, or soup. This is a 'everyone in the pot' sort of dish inspired by minestrone, hence it's been dubbed 'maxistrone'. Swap the veggies as you choose, use spinach instead of kale, or skip the bacon and use a drizzle of olive oil instead...whatever you have on hand, throw it in! —Stephanie
Ingredients
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4
slices thick cut bacon
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3
cloves garlic, minced
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1/2
yellow onion, chopped
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1/2
red onion, chopped
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1
bell pepper, chopped
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1
carrot, peeled and chopped
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1
parsnip, peeled and chopped
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2 teaspoons
Italian Herbs
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1/2 cup
red wine
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1 cup
water
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1
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (don't drain!)
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1/2 cup
Israeli couscous
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1/2
yellow squash, chopped
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1 cup
frozen green beans
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1
15 oz. can white kidney (or cannellini beans)
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1/2
small butternut squash, oven roasted and chopped
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1 cup
baby kale, roughly chopped
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Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions
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Note: If your butternut squash isn't roasted, go ahead and add it with the onions so that it has time to cook through.
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Slice bacon in lardons (or roughly chop). Place bacon in large, heavy bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When bacon is cooked to desired crispness, remove bacon and set on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
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Add garlic to pot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for a minute or two, just until garlic is fragrant.
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Add onions, bell pepper, carrot, parsnip, (and butternut squash if not already roasted) to pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened (about 5 minutes).
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Add Italian Herbs, broth, wine, water, tomatoes and their juice, and Israeli couscous. Cook, uncovered, until couscous is al dente (about 8 minutes).
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Add squash, green beans, kidney beans, and roasted butternut squash. Cook until green beans thaw and warm through (about 3 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
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Remove from heat, stir in kale. Add water, as needed, to thin. Top with bacon (a sprinkle of Parmesan would be great too, if it happens to be in your fridge) and serve.
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