How about some homemade Italian minestrone soup made with plant based sausage to give it a robust flavorsome taste?
I first fell in love with minestrone soup at Olive Garden where they give you limitless amounts of soup, albeit in small quantities. I just couldn’t get enough so I had to seek out the recipe.
Something about eating minestrone soup just felt so cozy, healthy and delicious, it felt like home. All of those delicious healthy vegetables swimming around unassumingly in a rich tomato broth. For years I used the copycat Olive Garden recipe from dinner at the zoo. It’s amazing. I highly recommend it.
Since I’ve started the plant based diet I’ve become very curious about trying new recipes. Interestingly I was flipping through my great uncle’s cookbook the other day, Italian Cooking for the American Kitchen, and I found Garibaldi’s Lapolla’s recipe of Minestrone soup.
Of course, the 1st ingredient in Garibaldi’s recipe is a 2 pound piece of not too fatty beef so I knew I had to alter it a little. I would have to skip the 2 pound piece of meat ingredient and instead I’m going to substitute it with plant based sausage.
I use morning star plant based sausage because that’s what I like but I’m sure that there are other brands that are just as good.
Below is my version of my uncle’s minestrone soup which is vegan, vegetarian and plant based friendly.
NUTRITION VALUE OF MINESTRONE SOUP
This meal offers an abundance of the vitamins and nutrients required in a Whole Food Plant Based diet or a healthy diet in general.
Lima Beans – Lima beans are a good source of fiber, along with micronutrients like manganese, copper, and magnesium. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lima-beans-nutrition#benefits
They are also high in protein and provide a good supplement for those following a vegan, vegetarian or plant based diet.
You can use canned frozen lima beans or dry lima beans but be sure to rinse and soak them if you use the dry beans. This will help with the digestion process and keep them from splitting.
Pinto beans– Pinto beans are a good source of plant protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Just a 1 cup serving contains at least 20% daily requirement of iron, magnesium, B6, copper and potassium. https://www.verywellfit.com/pinto-beans-nutrition-facts-calories-carbs-and-health-benefits-4172357
You can also use canned or or dry beans I beans but again be sure to soak before cooking.
string beans – Green beans are a good source of fiber which may help to improve the health of your heart by lowering your LDL cholesterol it is also known to protect gut health. (Webmd-greenbeans-benefits)
carrots – Carrots are rich in potassium, antioxidants, vitamin A and Beta carotene. (Webmd)
onions – Onions are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber and are known to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
This recipe calls for 4 onions! I’ll probably only use 3 but I’m excited to find out how that’s gonna turn out.
cabbage – A 1/2 a cup of cooked cabbage has about a 3rd of the vitamin C you need for the day. It also gives you fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K and more. (Webmd-cabbage-benefits)
Celery– Celery is loaded with antioxidants. It has a wide array of benefits including decreasing the risk of cancer, high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s. (Webmd-celery-benefits)
INGREDIENTS
2-3 Veggie sausages
3 stalks of celery
2 cups of lima beans or any white bean
1 can of pinto beans
3 onions
3 cloves garlic
1 cup cut string beans, fresh or frozen
1 cup diced carrots
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup escarole (when available), cut up
1 cup cabbage
2 cups of elbow pasta or tubettini
One cup of grated romano or any mild cheese
2 bouillon cubes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper
HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP
1. Place celery, minced onion and veggie sausage in a 6 quart pot
2. Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes
3. remove veggie sausage and chop in small pieces (Be sure to make veggie sausage nice and crispy. You could also put it under the broiler until desired crispy texture)
4. Fill the pot half way with water
5. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes
6. Add the other ingredients, one by one, except pasta
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes
8. Meanwhile in another saucepan cook pasta al dente
9. Drain pasta and add to soup or add while you serve (it’s easier to freeze the soup without pasta)
10. Add chopped veggie sausage back in
11. salt and pepper to taste
12. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
Recipe inspired by Garibaldi Lapolla’s Italian Cooking for the American Kitchen (p 24)
