Description
Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup is a cozy, easy dinner that tastes like a warm hug—packed with vegetables, chickpeas, and pasta in a lemony tomato-herb broth, it’s perfect for cold nights, simple dinner ideas, healthy snack-style leftovers, and anyone looking for a nourishing, plant-based, easy recipe to add to their weeknight food ideas and dinner ideas rotation.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
2 medium carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes
8 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
1 1/2 cups small pasta such as ditalini or small shells
1 medium zucchini diced
1 can 15 ounces chickpeas drained and rinsed
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley plus more for serving
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it deepens slightly in color and smells sweet and rich.
5. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, stirring to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
6. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of the fine sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, then stir to combine.
7. Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to develop flavor.
8. Stir in the small pasta and diced zucchini, then simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just al dente and the zucchini is tender.
9. Add the drained chickpeas and baby spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts into the hot broth, about 2 minutes.
10. Sprinkle in the nutritional yeast and pour in the fresh lemon juice, then stir well to combine.
11. Simmer the soup for another 3 to 5 minutes to warm the chickpeas through and let the flavors blend, then remove and discard the bay leaves.
12. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and chopped fresh parsley.
13. Taste and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste.
14. Ladle the Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup into bowls, garnish with extra parsley and black pepper if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
For the best texture in leftovers, avoid overcooking the pasta—take it off the heat when it is just al dente, because it will continue to soften as the soup sits and is reheated.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 13
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: vegan italian penicillin soup, vegetable soup, cold remedy soup, easy recipe, easy dinner, dinner ideas, healthy soup, comfort food, food ideas