For this New Year Eve, I wanted to have something warm and comforting to bring in the New Year. I thought why not make a vegan option of the delicious and traditional Italian favorite, Pasta Fagioli. I’ve made this before, probably around the time I had just transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle. It had been a long time since and I never actually got around to write the recipe out. I usually just add ingredients as I go and hope for the best. This time I made sure to jot it all down so I could share it with all of you.
Also, anytime a recipe requires “meat or beef crumbles” I always have a package or two of the Trader Joe’s BeefLess crumbles. They’re so similar to real animal crumbles it’s kind of scary. Hubbz and my oldest enjoy anytime I add it to a recipe so I knew it would be a hit. In this recipe I used fresh Plum tomatoes that I diced myself instead of canned diced tomatoes, because I wanted a fresher thickness to this soup. The addition of Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Onion Powder with the hint of fresh Parsley gives it all the delicious seasoning you’d expect for the “original” recipe. You might think you’re enjoying a bowl of soup from Olive Garden but we all know this version is a much healthier version. One thing I love is being able to prove and show others that we don’t need to harm animals to enjoy all the same dishes that you would want to order in a restaurant while keeping it cruelty-free. It’s all about the seasonings used to get all the feels you’re looking and hoping for. I truly hope you enjoy this recipe as much as me and my family did.
In a hot skillet or a large pot add 1 tablespoon Grapeseed oil over medium high heat, add in your BeefLess crumbles and cook until heated through about 6 minutes. Toss and scrape pan occasionally and set aside or transfer to a plate when done.
Next, you’ll need to wash, peel and chop the veggies. Peel the Carrots then dice and set aside. Repeat with the Celery, Onion and fresh Garlic.
Either in the same large pot or a new one, add in the remaining tablespoon of oil with diced vegetables {onions, carrots, and celery} and saute over medium-high heat until tender about 8 minutes, the remaining 2 minutes add in the minced garlic and sauté until done.
Now, add in the tomato sauce, veggie stock, water, sugar, sea salt, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme and onion powder, rinsed beans, diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add in the cooked BeefLess crumbles and stir to distribute it and if needed add more sea salt to taste along with fresh ground black pepper.
Add in the fresh Parsley, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes to be sure the vegetables are tender.
In the meantime, cook your pasta accordingly, then drain and rinse and set aside until soup is completed.
Once the soup is done serve with about 1/2 cup of cooked pasta. To keep your soup from becoming mushy especially if you’re going to have any leftovers, keep the pasta separate and serve with individual servings.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 2 tablespoons Grapeseed oil divided
- 1 package BeefLess Beef crumbles
- ½ Onion diced
- 3 large Carrots diced
- 3 Ribs Celery diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 can Cannelini Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can Red Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
- 24 ounces Tomato Sauce
- 32 ounces Veggie Stock
- ½ cup Spring Water
- 3 Tomatoes diced
- 2 teaspoons Cane Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 8-16 ounces Dry Pasta of choice {Ditalini is preferred}
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley chopped
Ingredients
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- In a hot skillet or a large pot add 1 tablespoon Grapeseed oil over medium high heat, add in your BeefLess crumbles and cook until heated through about 6 minutes. Toss and scrape pan occasionally and set aside or transfer to a plate when done.
- Either in the same large pot or a new one, add in the remaining tablespoon of oil with diced vegetables {onions, carrots, and celery} and saute over medium-high heat until tender about 8 minutes, the remaining 2 minutes add in the minced garlic and sauté until done.
- Now add in the rinsed beans, tomato sauce, veggie stock, water, diced tomatoes, sugar, sea salt, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme and onion powder and stir to combine. Add in the cooker BeefLess crumbles and stir to distribute it and if needed add more sea salt to taste along with fresh ground black pepper.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cover with a lid, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes to be sure the vegetables are tender.
- In the meantime, cook your pasta accordingly, then drain and rinse and set aside until soup is completed.
- Once the soup is done add your chopped Fresh Parsley and serve with about ½ cup of cooked pasta. To keep your soup from becoming mushy especially if you’re going to have any leftovers, keep the pasta separate and serve with individual servings.
Did you attempt this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it {or not} by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #mamawentveganrecipes or @mamawentvegan. I love to hear your feedback and see your creations!
