I whipped up the most perfect vegan minestrone soup the other night for my boyfriend and I and it's the perfect recipe to kick off soup season!
Best of all? It's heavy on the green vegetables and you can top it off with crispy garlic croutons that soak up the flavorful broth.
I found it off EatingWell.com and wanted to share below:
Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup cubed whole-grain rustic bread
1 cup chopped leek, white and light green parts only, rinsed well
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups water
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta
10 ounces zucchini (about 1 medium), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed
3 cups fresh baby kale or chopped kale
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Directions:
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the garlic is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add bread; toss to coat. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet. Bake until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2:
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add leek and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add broth, water and salt; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and reduce heat to medium-high; cook uncovered, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, kale, peas and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup evenly into 6 bowls; sprinkle with the croutons.
Enjoy!