Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Printable)
A comforting plant-based Italian soup with vegetables, herbs, 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 (optional but recommended)
07 - 1 zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Broth and Seasonings
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 (optional)
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
15 - 8 cups vegetable broth
→ Add-Ins
16 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or small shells; use gluten-free if needed)
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
# How-To:
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 and fragrant.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots, celery, and fennel. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and release their natural sweetness.
03 - Add the diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes to the pot. Cook for 2 more minutes, allowing the tomatoes to soften slightly.
04 - Sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to evenly coat all vegetables with the seasonings.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld together.
06 - Stir in the small pasta and drained chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
07 - Add the chopped kale or spinach and cook for 2 more minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
08 - Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally accompanied by crusty bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like something your nonna would make if she happened to be vegan and kept a well stocked spice cabinet.
- The leftovers actually improve overnight, which is rare for a pasta soup and dangerous for your lunch plans.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the pasta cooks because it goes from perfectly al dente to bloated and mushy in what feels like thirty seconds.
- Adding the lemon juice off the heat preserves its bright flavor in a way that boiling it never will.
03 -
- Taste the broth before adding the pasta and adjust the salt because pasta absorbs seasoning as it cooks and you cannot fix it after the fact.
- Dicing all the vegetables to the same size is the single thing that elevates this from good to restaurant quality.