Vegan Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients

• 5.3 oz Oyster or shimeji mushrooms (Washed thoroughly and shredded into thin strips by hand.)
• 2 Yellow onions (Diced.)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 0.5 tsp Red chili flakes
• 2 tsp Dried thyme
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds
• 8 Garlic (Minced.)
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar (Used to deglaze the pot.)
• 2 Potatoes (Diced into small cubes; approximately 500 g.)
• 3 cup Cooked cannellini beans (Can be substituted with great northern beans, butter beans, or chickpeas.)
• 5.5 cup Low-sodium vegetable stock (Saltiness varies by brand.)
• 4 cup Kale (Stems removed and finely chopped; baby spinach or Swiss chard may be substituted.)
• 0.5 cup Fresh parsley (Finely chopped.)
• 3 tbsp Fresh lemon juice (Stirred in after turning off the heat.)
• Sea salt flakes (Add a pinch during cooking, then adjust to taste at the end.)
• Freshly ground black pepper (To taste.)
• 0.5 cup Raw cashews (Soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, then drained.)
• 1.25 cup Dairy-free milk (The author uses soy milk.)
• 0.5 cup Nutritional yeast (Blended into the cashew cream.)
• Bread (Toasted sourdough or gluten-free bread, for serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the raw cashews in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Wash the mushrooms thoroughly. Using your hands, pull them into thin strips.

3. 3

   Place the shredded mushrooms in a large pot over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until most of their released water has evaporated.

4. 4

   Add the diced onions, olive oil, red chili flakes, dried thyme, fennel seeds, a pinch of sea salt, and black pepper to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions begin to soften.

5. 5

   Add the minced garlic. Cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring only a couple of times so the mushrooms have time to brown and develop flavor.

6. 6

   Pour in the apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pot. Stir and cook for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

7. 7

   Add the diced potatoes, cooked cannellini beans, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.

8. 8

   Partially cover the pot and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender. Test one with a fork; it should pierce easily without resistance.

9. 9

   While the soup simmers, make the cashew cream. Blend the soaked cashews, dairy-free milk, and nutritional yeast until completely smooth, with no visible pieces remaining.

10. 10

    Stir the cashew cream into the soup.

11. 11

    Add the finely chopped kale and parsley. Cook for a further 5 minutes, until the kale is tender and vibrant green.

12. 12

    Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

13. 13

    Taste the soup and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Serve hot with toasted sourdough or gluten-free bread.

Notes

The soup freezes well and is suitable for meal preparation. For a nut-free version, replace the cashews with sunflower seeds or use 1.5 cups of store-bought soy cream or another plant-based cream. Start with only a pinch of salt because stock brands vary considerably in sodium.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• high-protein
• gluten-free option
• one-pot