Pesto-Enhanced Vegetable Soup

Name: Pesto-Enhanced Vegetable Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 4 cups chopped escarole, stemmed kale, or cabbage; 4 cups chopped escarole, stemmed kale, or cabbage; 1 medium-size zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 7 cups vegetable broth; ⅓ cup uncooked ditalini or other small soup pasta; ⅓ cup uncooked ditalini or other small soup pasta; 1½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; 1½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained; ¼ cup Basil Pesto; 1 tablespoon olive oil or ¼ cup water; 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 4 cups chopped escarole, stemmed kale, or cabbage; 1 tablespoon olive oil or ¼ cup water; 1 large onion, minced; 1 or 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices; 3 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

One-Dish Vegan

By Robin Robertson

Published 2013

About

The Rich Vegetable Soup known as minestrone is popular throughout Italy. In both Milan and Genoa, a swirl of pesto is added near the end of cooking time to enrich the soup, but the addition of yellow bell pepper is strictly Calabrese. To make this soup gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil or ¼ cup water
1 large onion,

Europe
Italy
Milan
Genoa
Soup
Vegan

Method

Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat, and add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, escarole, basil, oregano, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the zucchini and