Vegan It Real Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta & Bean Soup)
A plant-based version of the Italian classic pasta and bean soup. A comforting anytime soup created with fresh vegetables, beans, whole grain pasta and tons of herbs and spices, all simmered in a tomato-based, vegetable broth. Make it your own!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 qts vegetable broth
- 1 15.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup plant-based beefy crumbles I use Gardein brand
- 1 1/2 cup small pasta - cooked I love using Ditalini style pasta
- 1 15.5 oz can red beans or use whatever beans you like
- 1 15.5 oz can white beans sometimes I use pinto beans!
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 2 carrots - chopped
- 2 celery stalks - chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen corn optional
- 1/2 cup cooked green beans optional
- 1 tbsp organic low sodium soy sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) This gives the soup a little sumthin' sumthin'
- 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil use broth or water instead of oil if on a NOSS diet
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly saute the onions until they are translucent. Once the onions are soft, add the plant-based beefy crumbles and sautee with the onions for another few minutes, until the crumbles are heated throughout.
- Add the carrots and celery and another small pinch of salt. Stir to combine and let the veggies & crumbles saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the garlic. (Add a little broth if the veggies are starting to stick.)
- Let the flavors develop for 2-3 minutes. Add all the spices and dried herbs and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. (Adding just a pinch of salt periodically helps to draw out the flavor of each ingredient and you should not have to add any at the end or at the table!)
- Stir the canned beans into the veggie crumble mixture until they are well incorporated. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Sautee until the tomato paste has been thoroughly combined. Add the vegetable broth and soy sauce/Worcestershire sauce (if using) and turn the heat to medium. Cover the soup (with the lid slightly off) and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After about 20 minutes, add the green beans and the corn if you are using them. Add the cooked pasta. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for another 20-30 minutes. Taste for any spice adjustments.
- Add a little water if the soup starts to get too thick. Once flavors have fully developed, serve immediately with bread or a side salad, or let the soup cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Enjoy! And then, let me know how it turns out and how you made it your own! 😉