PLAN NO. 2

DAY 1: RECIPE

Print

With ImageWithout Image

One-pot wild rice, cannellini bean, and kale soup with pesto

Yield: 4

Overview: Saute the aromatics, add the broth and more veggies, and make a pesto.

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small rosemary sprig (see tip)
• ½ cup wild rice, uncooked
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 bunch lacinato or curly kale, thoroughly washed, toughest stems removed, and finely chopped
• 64 oz (2 quarts) vegetable broth
• 1 14-oz can cannellini beans

For the pesto (there is no shame in buying a good pesto at the store)

• 3 oz basil
• 3 oz arugula
• 6 oz extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz pine nuts
• 3 oz parmesan cheese, grated (see tip)
• 2 garlic cloves

To serve

• crusty bread (optional)
• grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions

1. Saute the aromatics. Heat a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, then the onions and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary. Saute for 1 more minute.
2. Add the broth, potatoes, rice, and kale. Stir everything together, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat so that the broth is bubbling very slightly.
3. Make the pesto. While the soup is simmering, use a food processor (or immersion blender and mason jar) to blend the pesto ingredients into a coarse paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the beans. After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, the veggies should be nearly done and the flavors combined. Add the beans, with their liquid, and stir. Simmer the soup gently for 5 minutes more. Taste for salt and adjust. Wild rice absorbs a lot of liquid, so don’t be afraid to loosen the broth with a little water if necessary.
5. Plate. Serve the soup in large bowls with a swirl of pesto, crusty bread, and a shower of grated parmesan.

Tip

Buy a whole chunk of parmesan and grate it yourself. Not only is it cheaper, but it will taste better than the pre-grated stuff and contain no anti-caking agents.

I refuse to buy rosemary from the grocery store. Rosemary grows like a weed in the PNW, and odds are someone on your block has it in their front yard. Always a good idea to ask before taking.

© 2025 Aster Pantry LLC, All Rights Reserved

---

DAY 2: LEFTOVERS

Asparagus, pesto, and lemon pasta

Overview: Boil the pasta, add veggies at the end, stir in the pesto, and season.

Prep one bunch of asparagus by snapping off and discarding the fibrous ends. Thinly slice the rest of it. Choose your favorite pasta and boil a half pound in well-salted water until al dente. One minute before the pasta is done, add the sliced asparagus to the water. The asparagus will cook very quickly - you want it to stay a vibrant green and not get mushy. Drain the pasta and asparagus into a colander, reserving a ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. I like to do this by scooping out some of the pasta water with a mug before draining.

In the same pot you used to boil the pasta, add the pasta water, cooked pasta, asparagus, a generous scoop of pesto, zest of one lemon, and a spoonful of lemon juice (about a ¼ of a lemon). Mix together well. Taste for salt, lemon juice, and pesto, adding more if necessary. You can also fold in yesterday’s extra arugula. Serve in large bowls with grated parmesan, freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts (if you have any left).

---

SHOPPING LIST

Day 1 & 2 - PDF / Email

Day 1 only - PDF / Email

---

OTHER RECIPES

Have a few ends of stale bread? Make breadcrumbs!

---