Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Printable Version)
A soothing plant-based Italian soup packed with chickpeas, vegetables, and aromatic herbs for comfort and wellness.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium fennel bulb, diced (optional)
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
09 - 1 cup baby spinach or chopped kale
→ Broth & Legumes
10 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
17 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
18 - 1 bay leaf
→ Finishing Touches
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Zest of 1 lemon
21 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
22 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and fennel if using. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the diced zucchini and sauté for 2 more minutes.
03 - Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften and release their juices.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the chickpeas, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Bring to a rolling boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld the flavors.
06 - Stir in the spinach or kale during the last 3 to 4 minutes of simmering, cooking just until wilted and bright green.
07 - Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast if using. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Pair with crusty bread if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like something your grandmother would have made if she happened to grow up in Tuscany and believe in plant magic.
- The lemon zest and nutritional yeast at the end create this unexpected brightness and depth that will make you close your eyes after the first spoonful.
02 -
- Adding the lemon juice while the soup is still boiling will mute its brightness, so always wait until the pot is off the heat.
- Do not forget to remove the bay leaf before serving because someone always ends up with it in their bowl and it is not pleasant.
03 -
- Taste the soup before adding the final salt adjustment because chickpeas and broth both contribute hidden sodium.
- Letting the soup rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving allows the herb flavors to fully develop and settle.