Vegan Italian Penicillin Soup (Printable)
Plant-based Italian penicillin soup with chickpeas, herbs, and vegetables for comforting immune-boosting warmth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 1 medium fennel bulb, diced (optional)
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1½ cups baby spinach or chopped kale
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
→ Broth & Protein
10 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 cup small pasta (ditalini, orzo, or tiny shells)
→ Herbs & Spices
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
15 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
16 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
# How To Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in sliced carrots, celery, and diced fennel if using. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
03 - Add diced zucchini, canned diced tomatoes with their juices, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to bloom the spices.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil. Add drained chickpeas and small pasta, stirring to combine.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the pasta and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in baby spinach or chopped kale and cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes until the greens are wilted and vibrant.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in chopped fresh parsley and fresh basil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It heals like classic penicillin soup but hits completely different with Italian herbs and a tomato forward broth that feels like a warm hug from someone who actually knows how to cook.
- The chickpeas and tiny pasta make it filling enough for dinner without any need for a side dish, though crusty bread never hurt anybody.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the pasta simmers because it can go from perfectly tender to mushy and swollen in the time it takes to scroll through your phone.
- Adding the fresh herbs off the heat preserves their bright flavor and tossing them in while the soup is still boiling makes them taste flat and tired.
03 -
- Toast the dried oregano and basil in the hot oil for about thirty seconds before adding the wet vegetables because blooming dried herbs in fat releases oils you never knew were hiding in there.
- Use the juice from the canned diced tomatoes and do not drain it because that liquid carries concentrated tomato flavor that forms the backbone of the entire broth.