Indian-Italian Minestrone
Who doesn’t love a rich, comforting soup when it’s cold out? This filling meal-of-a-soup brings together two gorgeous culinary traditions in one fabulous fusion. This soup started out as an improvised minestrone and we loved it so much but when I made it again, I started tinkering with adding other flavors until it was clear that what I really wanted was the best of both worlds: Italy and India in one glorious bowl of soup. I love how the disparate seasonings and ingredients complement each other in one cohesive bowl.
Feel free to modify the veggies and seasonings in this recipe. Soups are very forgiving and adaptive. I do tend to like a thicker soup – if my spoon doesn’t rest on top, it’s probably not a recipe I developed – but if you tend to want a more brothy experience, simply add more water or add stock.
By the way, this makes a lot of soup! I am a big fan of leftovers. Feel free to halve the recipe if this seems to be too much.
1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil, divided
One yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
18-ounces cabbage blend or veggies of preference
8-ounces mushrooms (optional)
16-ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon cumin powder
½ tablespoon coriander powder
1 - 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 - 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 cups water
3 cups light or regular canned coconut milk
2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons vegan bouillon concentrate (optional)
2 teaspoons vegan red curry paste (optional)
¼ - ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
8-ounces shell pasta or other small pasta (like elbow), cooked and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
In the Instant Pot, heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the sauté function for one minute. Add the onions and sauté for five minutes, stirring often to keep it from sticking. Add the garlic, tamari, the rest of the veggies and the mushrooms and the second tablespoon of oil, stirring often until the volume is reduced substantially, or for about four minutes. Add the chickpeas and seasonings and stir through until everything is coated with some herbs.
In a large blender, combine the water, tomato sauce, coconut milk, optional bouillon, red curry paste and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into the Instant Pot.
Change the setting on the Instant Pot to manual and set for three minutes. Quick release the steam, add the pasta and the defrosted peas. Stir through, adjust seasonings and serve.
If cooking on the stovetop, simply follow these same directions in a large soup pot but cook the veggies until they are softened and cook the soup until heated through.
Who doesn’t love a rich, comforting soup when it’s cold out? This filling meal-of-a-soup brings together two gorgeous culinary traditions in one fabulous fusion. This soup started out as an improvised minestrone and we loved it so much but when I made it again, I started tinkering with adding other flavors until it was clear that what I really wanted was the best of both worlds: Italy and India in one glorious bowl of soup. I love how the disparate seasonings and ingredients complement each other in one cohesive bowl.
Feel free to modify the veggies and seasonings in this recipe. Soups are very forgiving and adaptive. I do tend to like a thicker soup – if my spoon doesn’t rest on top, it’s probably not a recipe I developed – but if you tend to want a more brothy experience, simply add more water or add stock.
By the way, this makes a lot of soup! I am a big fan of leftovers. Feel free to halve the recipe if this seems to be too much.
1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil, divided
One yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
18-ounces cabbage blend or veggies of preference
8-ounces mushrooms (optional)
16-ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon cumin powder
½ tablespoon coriander powder
1 - 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 - 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 cups water
3 cups light or regular canned coconut milk
2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons vegan bouillon concentrate (optional)
2 teaspoons vegan red curry paste (optional)
¼ - ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
8-ounces shell pasta or other small pasta (like elbow), cooked and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
In the Instant Pot, heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the sauté function for one minute. Add the onions and sauté for five minutes, stirring often to keep it from sticking. Add the garlic, tamari, the rest of the veggies and the mushrooms and the second tablespoon of oil, stirring often until the volume is reduced substantially, or for about four minutes. Add the chickpeas and seasonings and stir through until everything is coated with some herbs.
In a large blender, combine the water, tomato sauce, coconut milk, optional bouillon, red curry paste and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into the Instant Pot.
Change the setting on the Instant Pot to manual and set for three minutes. Quick release the steam, add the pasta and the defrosted peas. Stir through, adjust seasonings and serve.
If cooking on the stovetop, simply follow these same directions in a large soup pot but cook the veggies until they are softened and cook the soup until heated through.
Vegan, Recipe,Soup, Minestrone, Indian, Italian, Savory, Spice, Winter, Warming