Today we talk about Soups & Co. the Italian Way (with a recipe)… When well prepared, and with the right ingredients, eating soup can bring lots of nutritional benefits.

Welcome to our plant-based recipes collection – the fruit (and veggies) of the collaboration between ottimoblog.com and appetibilis.net | Here happily edited and translated by Orsola 😉

One should eat soup at least once a day. It strengthens the digestive system and helps us keep light especially in the evening. Of course, we have to assume that we’re all different and that what’s good for me isn’t necessarily good for you, and vice versa. Some people eat three full meals a day, some eat once sometime afternoon, some do intermittent fasting, and some eat five or six times a day.

So, what is best? Ultimately, there is no definitive answer. Although it seems that people who eat less in the evening tend to feel lighter, have better digestion, and wake up in the morning feeling more energised.

Therefore, we compiled a short vademecum of hot and cold soups that should come handy when you need to prep something on the fly. ‘Soups & Co. the Italian Way with…’ a series of recipes that will be published in the coming weeks: all plant-based, naturally!

Soup’s Basics the Italian Way

Soups, to soup-it-up the Italian way we have to start from the beginning…

The cooking repertoire takes into account hot and cold soups, and everything in between. However, no matter the temperatures, the basis of a good soup is built around a ‘trito’, at least in Italy.

1. Minced onion, carrots and celery, sautéed in a little oil (maybe butter), and a dash of water.
2. Coarsely chopped vegetables are added next, stirred in, and covered with water.
3. Cooked and seasoned with salt and pepper (just to start).
4. Eventually adding pulses, legumes and/or cereal of preference, for richness.

Soups & Co. (as in soups collection) starts with a hot soup: the Miso soup. I love it, it’s alway at the top of my personal favourite recipes list.

Miso soup, of Japanese origin, has entered our kitchens thanks to Japanese restaurants around the world and macrobiotics diet… The classic ingredients are miso paste, dashi-jiru (broth) + additional ingredients such as vegetables, seaweed, and tofu.

Miso Soup the Italian Way (the recipe)

Here’s in an Italian, plant-based version, made with our start-up broth, rich in umami (or savory deliciousness)… To the purists out there, please don’t read any further! 😜

[servings: 2 | total time: 30 min | difficulty: easy]
| Please note that the info and directions provided for the recipe are indicative: the end result may vary from person to person |

Ingredients

For broth

• 1 onion (small)
• 1 carrot (medium size)
• ½ celery stalk
• 3 tbsps oil
• 500 ml water

Soup

• 2 leaves of chard (keep the stalks for minestrone)
• 1 tbsp red miso paste (rice or soy)
• 1 tsp dried wakame seaweed
• 100 g soft tofu (optional)

Garnish

• sesame seeds to taste
• 1 fresh spring onion and
• some chives

About the oil (*) – Unless otherwise specified, we use organic and cold-pressed evo oil, or sunflower seed oil (the high-oleic type for frying).

Directions

1. Start by soaking the seaweed in warm water (for about 10 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, let’s prep the trito by coarsely chopping the onion, the celery, and half of the carrot. Keep aside.
3. Time to start the special ‘soffritto’ (for this sauté step, a couple of tbsps of water are added to prevent the oil from burning).
4. In a medium-small size casserole, heat the oil (with the same amount of water). Stir in the trito and let it sauté for about 5 minutes… Remember to stir frequently, (the veggies should be beautifully translucent).
5. In the meantime… Slice the rest of the carrot into rounds, the chard (not too finely), and cut the tofu into medium-small cubes. Keep each one on its own and set aside.
6. For a clear broth. Remove the trito from the casserole, stir in the sliced carrot, add the water and bring it to boil.
7. Then add the chard, the tofu (*), and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
8. Time to drain the seaweed, cut it finely, add it to the broth and cook for 1 minute.
9. Pick a ladle of broth to dissolve the miso, turn down the heat, and add it the soup. Turn off the heat and check the seasoning (miso paste tend to be very salty).
10. Serve the soup very hot, with the chopped chives, green onion, and a generous pinch of sesame seeds.

Notes and variations

• (*) If you’re using silken tofu, add it after the miso paste.
• It’s a very versatile soup. You can make it with or without tofu or vegetables, (or the veggies you have in the fridge), or simply a broth with miso and seaweed.
• In short, you can do as you like, remembering that seaweed and miso are rich in minerals, calcium and magnesium and are therefore very good for you.

Interesting links

Qui trovate la ricetta in italiano: Zuppa di Miso & Co., estate e inverno!

More on Recipes with Tofu

Savory Breakfast: The Tofu Scramble

Keep reading

The Ultimate Veggie Mayo: La Majonesa

Keep reading

Gluten Free Veggie Dumplings with Tofu

Keep reading

Simona Scarone

Cucina, corsi, oli essenziali.
Insegno a cucinare in modo sano, testo e invento ricette “plant based” anche in video.
Scrivo racconti di cucina e non solo.

Cuisine, cooking lessons, essential oils.
I teach healthy cooking, test and create “plant based” recipes, also on video.
I write about food, and other stories.