Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Printable)
A vibrant plant-based Italian soup with nourishing vegetables, herbs, and pasta for a comforting, healing meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 large carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 fennel bulb, diced (optional but recommended)
07 - 1 zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Broth and Seasonings
09 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
15 - 8 cups vegetable broth
→ Add-Ins
16 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or small shells; use gluten-free if needed)
17 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
18 - 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
19 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
02 - Add minced garlic, diced carrots, celery, and fennel to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to release some of their juices.
04 - Sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to evenly coat all vegetables with the seasonings.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
06 - Stir in the small pasta and drained chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta reaches al dente tenderness.
07 - Add the chopped kale or spinach and cook for 2 more minutes until the greens are wilted and tender.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally alongside crusty bread.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It actually tastes like something your nonna would make, even though its completely plant based and comes together on a weeknight.
- The fennel and lemon combination does something quietly magical, making every spoonful feel both restorative and bright.
02 -
- Do not skip the lemon juice at the end because without it the soup tastes flat and one dimensional, a lesson I learned after forgetting it once and wondering what went wrong.
- The pasta will absorb broth as it sits, so if you are making it ahead add a splash of water or broth when you reheat to loosen it back up.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables roughly the same size so every spoonful delivers a balanced mix instead of one giant carrot chunk next to tiny flecks of celery.
- Use a vegetable broth you enjoy drinking on its own because it is the backbone of the entire soup and a bland broth means a bland finished product.