Vegan Whole-Food Plant-Based Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium Yellow onion (diced)
• 2 medium Carrots (sliced)
• 2 stalks Celery (diced)
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 medium Zucchini (diced)
• 1 medium Bell pepper (diced (any color))
• 1 can Diced tomatoes (14.5 oz, no added salt)
• 4 cups Vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 2 cups Kale (chopped, stems removed)
• 2 leaves Bay leaves (for flavor)
• 1 tsp Dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme)
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (optional for sautéing)

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. If you're following a whole-food, plant-based diet, you can skip the oil and use a splash of vegetable broth instead.

2. 2

   Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.

3. 3

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the diced zucchini and bell pepper to the pot. Stir well and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice) and the vegetable broth. Stir to combine.

6. 6

   Add the chopped kale, bay leaves, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Stir everything together.

7. 7

   Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

8. 8

   Remove the bay leaves before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

9. 9

   Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice.