Prepping the veg (by chopping/peeling) ahead of time can help out when you’re camping. NASA taught me that the hack to healthier options are dehydration and freeze drying. This same veg in this dish can be dehydrated for backpacking and thrown in with a bouillon version of the soup base and hot water.

This is an easy, 1-pot vegan and gluten-free minestrone. Simple ingredients, 30 minutes to prepare. Delicious and perfect for late summer, fall, and winter.

PREP TIME

5 minutes

COOK TIME

25 minutes

TOTAL TIME

30 minutes

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 serving

Calories: 127

Carbohydrates: 18.1 g

Protein: 9.2 g

Fat: 2.4 g

Saturated Fat: 0.5 g

Trans Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 948 mg

Fiber: 4.7 g

Sugar: 7.1 g

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp water (or sub oil)

• 1/2 medium white or yellow onion(diced)

• 3 cloves garlic* (minced)

• 2 large carrots (peeled and sliced into thin rounds)

• 1 1/2 cups green beans (trimmed // roughly chopped)

• 1/4 tsp each sea salt & black pepper(plus more to taste)

• 1 small zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)

• 1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

• 6 cups vegetable broth (DIY or store-bought)

• 2 tsp dried basil (or sub 1 Tbsp fresh per 2 tsp dried)

• 2 tsp dried oregano (or sub 1 Tbsp fresh per 2 tsp dried)

• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 pinch red chili pepper flake(optional)

• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar (or other sweetener to taste)

• 1 15-ounce can white beans or chickpeas (rinsed + drained)

• 2 cups gluten-free pasta noodles* (I like Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Fusilli)

• 1 cup kale or spinach (or other green // roughly chopped)

Instructions

• Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add water, onion, and garlic and stir. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add carrots and green beans and season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened slightly and have some color.

• Add zucchini, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, oregano, nutritional yeast, red pepper flake (optional), coconut sugar, and beans. Stir to coat.

• Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a strong simmer. Then reduce heat slightly to medium-low until the soup is simmering but not boiling. Add pasta and stir. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, reducing heat if needed to keep the soup at a simmer.

• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste soup and adjust seasonings as needed, adding coconut sugar to balance the flavors (optional). I added more dried basil, oregano, and salt.

• Add kale or spinach (or other green) and stir. Cook for another 3-4 minutes to wilt the kale and allow the flavors to meld together. Turn off heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

• To serve, divide soup between serving bowls and garnish with fresh herbs and vegan parmesan cheese(optional).

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or the freezer up to 1 month. Be careful not to overheat the soup when warming leftovers, as the pasta is tender once cooked and will get mushy if overcooked.

Notes

*3 cloves garlic yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic.

*To keep this recipe grain-free, use a grain-free pasta or omit and sub more beans or vegetables!

*Recipe inspiration from Food Network.