Vegan, Supercharged Minestrone Soup

I don’t know how closely this really resembles minestrone, but it’s delicious and hearty and full of nutritious vegetables. Serve it with crusty bread.

You can definitely vary the vegetables based on what you have on hand.

1 onion, chopped

3 celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 anaheim or other pepper, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

2 T basil

1 T oregano

2 T thyme

1 tsp cumin

salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

1/2 T dried parsley

2 T brown rice flour

3 T tomato paste

28 oz can diced tomatoes (with liquid)

8 c vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

1 parsnip, cubed

3 red potatoes, cubed

1 zucchini, cubed

1 can cannellini beans

8 oz fusili pasta

cashew cream

1. Sauté onion through carrot until soft.
2. Add garlic and spices and toast for a minute.
3. Add flour and tomato paste and stir to combine and cook through for a couple of minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and broth and bay leaf and stir to combine.
5. Add parsnip through zucchini. If needed, add more liquid (water or vegetable broth) to cover.
6. Cook for 10-15 minutes until vegetables start to soften.
7. Add beans and pasta.
8. Cook for an additional 15 minutes (this may vary based on pasta cooking directions).
9. Test that vegetables are soft and simmer until they are.
10. Adjust spices as needed.
11. Top with cashew cream.

You could also add greens at the end of cooking. And you could use different vegetables (green beans, broccoli, yellow summer squash, asparagus, peas, for example) or different beans (northern or kidney, maybe) or different pasta (like macaroni).