While I haven’t made the choice to go vegan yet, I’ve consciously made the decision to eat less meat (as much as possible!). If I have to consume meat, it’ll mainly be poultry and sustainably caught fish. The same can’t be said for my meat-loving other half, who will avoid things like celery and chickpeas like the plague. I quote, “The amount of beans I’ve eaten in this meal is more than the amount of beans I’ve eaten in my entire life”. However, even he enjoyed every last bit of this hearty Minestrone soup I made. Make this and you’ll never be able to go back to Campbell’s Minestrone soup again.
I adapted SkinnyTaste’s recipe for Crock Pot Minestrone Soup, and tweaked it slightly to my taste.
Ingredients
- 1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can of chickpeas (I used organic chickpeas, soaked overnight)
- 900 ml vegetable broth (I used Pacific Food’s organic vegetable broth)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 0.5 cup chopped onions
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 box of cherry tomatoes, diced
- Half box of organic baby spinach (I used Earthbound Farm)
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- Herbs for taste (I used Masterfood’s Mixed Herbs with additional fresh thyme)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 tbsp heavy cream (optional, I added this for a thicker broth)
- 2 cups cooked pasta (I used Barilla’s Fusilli)
- Parmesan
Directions
- Heat oil in a pot on medium heat.
- Sauté the garlic, onions, celery, and carrots until tender and fragrant (15-20 minutes).
- Pour in the broth, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas. Add salt and pepper.
- Add in the herbs, throw in the sprig of rosemary, cover, and allow the soup to simmer for 40 minutes.
- Throw in the spinach and zucchini, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.
- Add more salt and pepper for taste, and here’s when you stir in your heavy cream if you’ve decided to add it.
- Ladle your soup out into the bowls with your pasta waiting for their vegetable baths, and top with parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
This is a balanced, wholesome meal on it’s own with a good mix of vegetables, protein, and carbs. If I was vegetarian, I’d probably cook a huge pot of this once a week and consume it over two days. It’s just one of those dishes that taste better the next day! We demolished a hot piping bowl of this Minestrone soup with a loaf of baguette, and it was super satisfying. Hope you love this dish as much as I do!
