Servings: This super cozy vegetarian Chickpea Minestrone is full of flavor and so easy to make! COURSE MAIN DISH, SOUP CUISINE AMERICAN, ITALIAN KEYWORD CHICKPEA MINESTRONE PREP TIME 15 MINUTES COOK TIME 25 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 40 MINUTES SERVINGS 5 SERVINGS CALORIES 281 KCAL AUTHOR JENN LAUGHLIN - PEAS AND CRAYONS

1 medium onion (white or yellow) 1 medium onion (white or yellow)
2-3 carrots 2 to 3 carrots
2 celery ribs 2 celery ribs
4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed, and minced 4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed, and minced
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp salt 1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp black pepper
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup water 1 cup water
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves 2 dried bay leaves
1 cup ditalini pasta 1 cup ditalini pasta
2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each) drained and rinsed 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each) drained and rinsed
¼-½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or to taste (skip if vegan) ¼ to ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese or to taste (skip if vegan)
fresh chopped basil for topping (optoinal + delicious) fresh chopped basil for topping (optoinal + delicious)

Peel and dice onion and carrots. Finely chop celery. Smash and peel garlic, then finely mince.
Heat a large dutch oven (or heavy duty pot) to medium-high heat with 2 TBSP oil. Once oil is hot, add onion, carrot, and celery and saute until vegetables are tender, approx 7 minutes.
Next add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook an addiitonal minute, stirring constantly.
Add broth, water, and crushed tomatoes (juices and all) and bay leaves and bring pot to a boil.
Once soup is vigorously bubbling, add chickpeas and pasta and reduce heat to low. Stir frequently for the first few minutes to prevent sticking. Cover and simmer until chickpeas are tender and pasta is al dente, approx 15 minutes. Stir occasionaly.
Remove bay leaves when you come across them stirring the soup. Additional salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning blend can be added to taste at if desired.
Ready to eat? Ladle into bowls and enjoy piping hot topped with fresh basil (optional but so tasty!) and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Recipe yields approx. 11-12 cups of soup or 6 meal-sized bowls.  Recipe yields approx. 11 to 12 cups of soup or 6 meal-sized bowls.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated for each bowl-sized serving (approx. 2 cups each) using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extras/swaps and enjoy!  Nutrition Facts below are estimated for each bowl-sized serving (approx. 2 cups each) using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extras/swaps and enjoy!
NUTRITION FACTS  NUTRITION FACTS
AMOUNT PER SERVING  AMOUNT PER SERVING
CALORIES 281 CALORIES FROM FAT 72 % DAILY VALUE* FAT 8G12%SATURATED FAT 2G13%CHOLESTEROL 3MG1%SODIUM 779MG34%POTASSIUM 677MG19%CARBOHYDRATES 45G15%FIBER 6G25%SUGAR 11G12%PROTEIN 10G20% VITAMIN A 4474IU89%VITAMIN C 19MG23%CALCIUM 147MG15%IRON 3MG17%  CALORIES 281 CALORIES FROM FAT 72 % DAILY VALUE* FAT 8G12%SATURATED FAT 2G13%CHOLESTEROL 3MG1%SODIUM 779MG34%POTASSIUM 677MG19%CARBOHYDRATES 45G15%FIBER 6G25%SUGAR 11G12%PROTEIN 10G20% VITAMIN A 4474IU89%VITAMIN C 19MG23%CALCIUM 147MG15%IRON 3MG17%