Italian Escarole Soup
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- Serves: 8-10
- Preparation: 15
- Cooking: 45
- Ready: 60
This plant-based version of a traditional Italian dish is a great comfort food at any occasion.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup/100 g white onion, diced
- ½ cup/100 g carrots, diced
- ½ cup/100 g celery, diced
- 1 head escarole, cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 1 tin white beans, rinsed
- 6-8 oz/180-220 g star-shaped pasta, Acini de Pepe or other small pasta
- 12 cups/3 litres vegan chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 package vegan meatballs
- black pepper, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- quality olive oil, to finish each bowl
Method
Preheat oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5.
Once the oven is preheated, spray a sheet pan and add the meatless meatballs. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp around the sides. Remove from oven and set aside. Once cooled halve each meatball.
Warm the olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add in the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes until onions are translucent.
Add escarole and stir well for 3-4 more minutes until wilted. Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add the stock and bring to a simmer.
Add the pasta and allow to cook until the pasta is tender (about 5-7 minutes). Add the beans and halved meatless meatballs and continue to simmer for a couple of minutes.
Season the soup with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, finishing each with a drizzle of quality olive oil and serve with your favourite crusty baguette.
Additional notes
Recipe courtesy of Wicked Healthy, for Veganuary
Imagery © Derek Sarno
Find more great-tasting recipes on the Veganuary and Wicked Healthy websites.
“We grew up in an Italian family, where this soup was served at most weddings and big holidays because it screams celebration. If you are familiar with this traditional dish, you’ll love our plant-based version and, if you’ve never had this before, welcome to some amazing Italian comfort food, Wicked Healthy-style!”
