MINESTRONE SOUP

This soup reminds me so much of my childhood home and my mother's warmth. Of course, my mom didn't actually make Italian minestrone soup. She made a slightly different version, but similar in some ways – “chicken broth with vegetables and pasta”. I bet your mom made something like that too? It was the kind of “healing” soup that was perfect when you were sick or on chilly autumn or winter evenings after school, warming both body and soul. To recreate a plant-based version of this soup, I realized that by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth and adding more vegetables, it essentially becomes Italian minestrone soup.

Ingredients

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• 0.5 onion

• Celery stalk

• 1 carrot

• 2 potatoes

• 0.5 butternut squash (you can substitute with other types, but adjust the quantity based on size)

• A handful of pasta (I use gluten-free)

• A few tablespoons of crushed tomatoes or half a finely chopped tomato

• Vegetable broth / Water

• 200 g of cooked chickpeas (can be substituted with beans)

• Spices: salt, pepper, dried Italian/Provence herbs, thyme

• For garnish: fresh parsley

Instructions

I finely chop garlic, onion and celery. I grate a carrot. I sauté everything over low heat along with salt and pepper. I use a non-stick ceramic pan, but if yours is different, add a splash of olive oil. I sauté for about 5 minutes.

I cut the pumpkin and potatoes into cubes and add them to the simmering vegetables.

Pour vegetable broth or water and add the chopped tomatoes. I simmer the soup until the pumpkin and potatoes are tender.

I turn off the heat, then add the pasta and cooked chickpeas, along with dried herbs. Covering the pot, I let everything sit for about 7-10 minutes until the pasta is soft.

When serving, I sprinkle it with chopped parsley.

BON APPETIT!