Vegan Minestrone Soup

Along with delicious pizzas and pasta dishes, Minestrone Soup originated in Italy. It can be either thin or a thick soup made with vegetables often with the addition of pasta or rice (gluten free), sometimes both. Common ingredients of Minestrone Soup are onions, celery, carrots, zucchini and stock.   You can substitute with gluten free pasta, sweet potato or quinoa for the carbs.

Why is it called 'minestrone'? Minestrone means 'big soup' in Italian thanks to the multitude of vegetables thrown in. Minestrone is made differently across Italy depending on available ingredients and seasons.  It is a very healthy soup that will keep you full for a long time. For my version, I have added kidney beans as well for protein to keep us full longer. Toast a few vegan garlic bread and you have a complete meal which will be devoured in minutes!

Ingredients (Serves 2 generous portions)

1. I cup cooked rice ( if using pasta, 1 cup large elbow pasta, cooked till al dente)
2. 2  tbsps EVOO and 1 tbsp vegan coconut butter
3.  1/2 (half) yellow onion, minced
4. 5 garlic cloves, minced
5. 1/2 (half) small carrot, peeled and sliced thin
6. 1/3 (one third) large zucchini, sliced into small cubes
7. 1 tsp chilli flakes
8. 1 tsp dried pasta herbs
9. 2cups of marinara pasta sauce
10. 750 ml vegetable stock
11. 1/2 (half a can of kidney beans)
12. 6 Basil leaves, chopped fine
13. Salt per preference

Method

1. Heat a soup pot and add in the EVOO and vegan butter.
2. Fry the yellow onions and garlic.
3. Add in the carrots and zucchini.
4. Add in the pasta herbs and chilli flakes.
5. Stir and let it cook till the vegetables are cooked through.
6. Now add in the marinara pasta sauce.
7. Stir and add in the vegetable stock. If the stock has salt, be careful and add salt according to your preference.  Let it boil
8. Now add in the cooked pasta or rice (if you want your minestrone soup to be gluten free), kidney beans and chopped basil leaves.
9. Let the soup simmer for 10 mins on low heat and serve hot with Vegan Garlic Toast.