Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Print Version)
A healing plant-based Italian soup with vegetables, herbs, chickpeas, and pasta that soothes and nourishes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 large carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 fennel bulb, diced
07 - 1 zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Broth and Flavorings
09 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
15 - 8 cups vegetable broth
→ Add-Ins
16 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or small shells)
17 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
18 - 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
19 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots, celery, and fennel. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add the diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to coat all the vegetables evenly.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let simmer for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
06 - Stir in the small pasta and drained chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
07 - Add the chopped kale or spinach and cook for 2 more minutes until wilted and tender.
08 - Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve hot, optionally with crusty bread on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It is the kind of soup that makes you close your eyes after the first spoonful and actually feel yourself getting better.
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means you can be wrapped in a blanket again in under an hour.
02 -
- The pasta will keep absorbing broth as it sits, so if you are making this ahead add the pasta when you reheat instead of during the initial cooking.
- Do not skip the lemon juice at the end because without it the soup tastes flat no matter how good your broth is.
03 -
- Toast the dried herbs in the oil for about 30 seconds before adding the broth to bloom their essential oils and deepen the flavor dramatically.
- If you want extra protein without changing the character of the soup, a half cup of cooked white beans added with the chickpeas works perfectly.