This grandma style Vegan Soup Recipe is all about fuss-free. The ingredients are simple and cheap, the seasoning is not meant to overpower the flavor of the vegetables and the preparation requires only basic cooking skills.
This Italian soup recipe is the option if you want warming, nutritious, easy and full of flavor dinner option. It is also excellent the next day (or 2) to warm you up in your winter lunch break.
Italian traditional soup that is healthy and easy, budget-friendly and delicious🌶
This zuppa povera (poor soup) is one of the many good old recipes that are still very popular today.
How could that be any different? Easy and healthy, low-cost and very delicious.
The first time I decided to make I was going through the recipe already thinking how I could spice it up a bit. For some reason I decided to give it a try, at least once, to follow the simple recipe. And I am glad I did.
The Ingredients
- Legumes: the idea of the “poor dishes” is to use whatever you have. It will likely cost less and be fresher. So here the choices vary from region, but we mainly have beans, lentils and chickpeas. Any type of them in any mixture you can think of. I am making my favorite, chickpeas and green lentils. If you are interested in knowing a bit more about soaking veggies, I really like this article from Pick Up Limes.
- Vegetables: when it comes to veggies we tend to find the same selection. The affordable and filling potato and carrot; aromatic celery, onion, fennel and garlic, and the tasty tomato.
- Seasoning: the biggest example of the simplicity I was talking about before. Salt and pepper only. Believe me, sometimes the veggies deserve to have their taste just enhanced.
- Oil: optional. When pan-frying people usually use a few spoons here. I never do, just totally rely on my non-sticking pan. However, to indulge sometimes, I pour a little when serving. Which is something I see a lot here in Italy. So the oil works like a seasoning and not so much as a cooking ingredient. Healthier.
How to Make our Italian Vegan Soup
We soak the legumes of choice the night before (from 12 to 24 hours). After that time we drain and boil them, without salt, for about 45 minutes. When they are cooked we add the salt.
Carrot, onion, celery, garlic and fennel are chopped finely. Pan-fried until soften (about 20 minutes). Diced potatoes and half of the halved tomatoes are added with salt and pepper, stirred well and let to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add all that to the legumes, together with the remaining water they were boiled in. Let the mixture boil in low heat until the potatoes are ready (about 20 minutes). Half way, add the remaining tomatoes. If it looks too dry add some more water, vegetable broth(my super easy Italian Vegetable Broth recipe here) or aquafaba.
This is such an easy dish to control the liquid level too, so you can have as a soup or a stew.
As mentioned at the beginning, it is really nice to serve with a bit of olive oil and some more pepper. Keeping it simple.
The soup is even tastier the next day and you can keep in the fridge for another couple of days, before it becomes too mushy.
Hope you have a chance to enjoy our Italian Vegan Soup Recipe and it helps you keep cozy and comforted.
Talking about comfort, we don’t have to rely only on soups and stews, our very own Mushroom Stroganoff is the ultimate comfort food. Give it a look.
With Gratitude,
Carol🌶
Vegan Soup Recipe – Italian Chickpeas and Lentils Zuppa – Oil-Free and Gluten-Free
Course: Dinner, SoupsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy3
servings30
minutes40
minutesThis grandma style Vegan Soup Recipe is all about fuss-free. Italian traditional soup that is healthy and easy, budget-friendly and delicious🌶
Ingredients
10,5oz (1 1/2 cup) mixed legumes
3 garlic cloves
3,5oz (1 medium) carrot
150g (2 medium) onions
3,5oz (2 big ribs) celery
3,5oz (2 stalks) fennel
10,5oz (2 big) potatoes
3,5oz (about 8) cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil, optional
Directions
- Soak the legumes in water for 12 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well. Put them in a pan, cover with water (2 fingers above) and boil, without adding salt, for about 45 minutes. When cooked, add salt.
- Chop finely the carrot, onion, celery, garlic and fennel. Pan-fry until soften (about 20 minutes). Add the diced potatoes, half of the halved tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Mix really well and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Add the veggies to the cooked legumes and water remaining and let it boil on low heat until the potatoes are ready, another 20 minutes. Half way in add the other half of the tomatoes. If it is too dry add some more water (hot already), vegetable broth or aquafaba.
- Serve with black pepper to taste and a bit of olive oil.
