Vegan Minestrone Soup Recipe

I'm still enjoying this scrumptious, hearty soup because it makes enough to freeze for leftovers. This recipe comes from Summer Tomato by contributing blogger Eylse Kopecky of FresHabits. Elyse used meat sausages, but I made it vegan with Tofurky sausages.* I also used a gluten-free quinoa and corn rotelle (available in the bulk bins at Nugget Markets in the greater Sacramento area). The quinoa/corn pasta really made the flavor of the soup shine through.

I used one Tofurky Italian Sausage for a slightly spicy addition to the soup and one Tofurky Bratwurst for a mild flavored sausage.

This soup is easy to make and so good, its sure to be a staple in my menu rotation this winter.

Vegan Minestrone Soup

From Elyse Kopecky (modified to make it vegan)

Yield 10 servings

Category Soup

Cuisine Italian (Healthy, Vegan)

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 leek, top and bootom trimmed, sliced into half-moons

1 yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, 1/2 inch slices

3 celery stalks, 1/2 inch slices

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp sea salt

2 zuchinni, half length-wise and sliced

1/2 cabbage, chiffonade (thin slices)

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

2 vegan sausages, sliced thin (1 spicy, 1 mild Tofurky sausage)

1 32 oz box of vegetable broth

1 32 oz box of low-sodium vegetble broth

1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can cannelline beans, drained and rinsed

1 C rigatonni, penne or rotelle pasta

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Saute leek, onion, carrots celery and garlic with salt for 10 minutes stirring frequently to prevent browning.

2. Add zucchiini, cabbage, oregano and pepper,. Saute an additonal 10 minutes adding additional olve oil if needed.

3. Brown the sausages in a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Stir while cooking about 5 minutes.

4. Add broth, tomatoes, beans and cooked sausage to veggies. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Cook pasta in sauce pan of boiling water. Test for al dente. Drain and set aside.

6. Place a serving of pasta in individual bowls and ladle soup on top. (Non-vegan option: sprinkle grated Monchego [goat] cheese on top)

*Tofurky sausages are not gluten-free. Leave out to make the soup gluten-free and choose a gluten-free pasta.

Do you have a favorite minestrone soup that shows up on your table in the winter?