Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Print version)
A healing Italian-inspired vegetable soup with pasta, chickpeas, and herbs in a savory plant-based broth.
# 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 & 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
# How to make it:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
02 - Add the minced garlic, diced carrots, celery, and fennel bulb. Continue sautéing for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the diced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 additional minutes, allowing the tomatoes to release their juices.
04 - Sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables evenly with the seasonings.
05 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to develop flavor.
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 the pot 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, accompanied by crusty bread if desired.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- It genuinely feels like medicine in the best possible way, soothing and bright and deeply satisfying without being heavy.
- The fennel is a quiet revelation here, adding a subtle sweetness that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
02 -
- The pasta will absorb broth as it sits, so if you are making this ahead or saving leftovers, add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it back up.
- Do not skip the lemon juice at the end, because I did once and the soup tasted flat and tired until I squeezed it in and watched the whole pot come alive again.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables roughly the same size so every spoonful feels balanced and no one gets a giant chunk of carrot while the zucchini disappears.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for five minutes before serving, because those few minutes of patience let the flavors settle and deepen in a way that rushing cannot replicate.