Vegan minestrone soup with a creamy, Italian spin makes healthy vegetable soup so satisfying!
This recipe was a bit of a happy accident. Every time I feel like I might be coming down with a bug, I make minestrone soup. Partially it’s because I love to use homemade chicken or turkey bone broth, which puts the flavor over the top, partially because it’s totally customizable to your whims and fancies(or whatever vegetables happen to be in the refrigerator), and partially because you can pack an incredible amount of nutrients into one bowl. Maybe it’s a placebo effect, but I’m pretty sure minestrone soup has cured just about every sore throat I’ve had in the past three years. Regardless, just when I thought minestrone couldn’t get any better, creamy minestrone happened: creamy vegan Italian minestrone soup to be exact!
One night I was reminiscing about a creamy tomato soup I’d had that used Italian seasoning. The flavors together were just so good I couldn’t stop eating it. I happened to be making minestrone, and so I decided to combine it with my current cravings by adding some rich coconut milk to an herby broth. Serving the soup over noodles of any variety(I like using red lentil pasta to up the protein content) and topping it with melty parmesan cheese, takes humble vegetable soup to a whole new level!
This soup is also quick and easy, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner. Chopped vegetables and aromatics are sauteed in oil and then further cooked by simmering in a mixture of broth, tomato sauce, coconut milk, and seasoning. That’s it! Other than the chopping, it’s hands off, but even the chopping is 100% worth any effort. This recipe can be doubled or tripled or even scaled back to make a single serving, although leftovers make great freezer meals. Lastly, this is one of the most perfect canvases to be creative! Like corn? Add it! Like chickpeas or lentils? Add some! Prefer meat? Add what pleases your palette! Let this be your permission to have fun in the kitchen, even if it’s just for 30 minutes on a Monday night!
CREAMY VEGAN ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP (V, DF, GF, LF)
YIELD: Approximately 6 1/2 cups SERVES: 2 - 4 people
What You'll Need:
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used garlic infused oil for low fodmap)
1 bunch green part of green onions, chopped for low fodmap OR 1/2 large white onion, diced
3 cups chopped vegetables (whatever varieties you enjoy, have on hand, or suit your dietary needs. I most recently used yellow squash, broccoli, and butternut squash. Try a few different ones that add complementing elements, like the creamy, sweetness of squash or sweet potatoes with the earthiness of zucchini, etc.)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (feel free to add less, or more, depending on your preferred spice level)
3 cups broth (bone broth recommended, but use vegetable broth for vegan/vegetarian)
8 ounce can of tomato sauce (can sub diced tomatoes if you'd rather a chunkier soup)
3 packed cups spinach leaves
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 ounces dry pasta per person (gluten free variety for GF or low fodmap options)
Optional: parmesan cheese, grated (omit for vegan)
How To Make it
Heat the oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. When the oil is warmed, add the green onions or onion and stir to coat in the oil.
Allow the onions to soften for a few minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the vegetables. Cook until softened but not entirely cooked through, around 15 minutes.
Add the seasonings, along with a generous sprinkle of salt. Stir until vegetables are coated evenly. Pour in the broth and stir, then bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer.
While the soup is cooking, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to the box's instructions. Drain.
After 10 minutes, add the tomato sauce, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the spinach until wilted. Then, turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper flakes to suit your preferences.
Put cooked pasta into each individual bowl and ladle soup over top.
Serve topped with grated parmesan, if using. Enjoy while hot!
Leftovers keep nicely in the fridge for a few days. If you used vegetables that freeze well, leftovers can also make great freezer meals! Cook fresh pasta as soup thaws.
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Abby
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