Minestrone Soup with Soybeans

This was a fun soup to make, since it's the first time I've used a battuto (a paste of aromatics from Italian cuisine) in my cooking. Soybeans in place of chickpeas and pieces of spaghetti instead of macaroni also add a twist to the soup!

In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrot, 1/3 cup coarsely chopped celery, 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, 2 chopped (raw) vegan bacon slices, and 1 garlic clove; process until very nearly a paste. Voila! You have your battuto.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the battuto and saute for 3 minutes.

Add 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 and 1/2 cups coarsely chopped and seeded plum tomato, 1 and 1/2 cups peeled and cubed Yukon gold potato, 1 (15-ounce) rinsed and drained can of yellow soybeans, and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (about 3 inches long).

Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup (1-inch) cut green beans, 1 cup sliced zucchini, 1 cup cauliflower florets, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, and 1 ounce of 1-inch broken spaghetti pieces. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Remove the rosemary sprig from the soup, then ladle 1 and 1/3 cups of minestrone into each of 6 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 to 2 teaspoons of grated vegan Parmesan topping (such as Galaxy Foods) according to taste.

Each bowlful is 220 calories.

Cost:
carrot $0.41
celery $3.39
flat-leaf parsley $1.69
vegan bacon $3.39
vegetable broth $3.49
plum tomato $0.88
Yukon gold potatoes $1.34
canned yellow soybeans $1.50
fresh rosemary $2.49
green beans $3.49
zucchini $0.52
cauliflower $5.94
spaghetti $3.49