A vegetarian minestrone soup that everyone can enjoy

From   |  March 26, 2010
In Coffee and Convo, Kitchen Basics
Featured Recipe: Truly Vegetarian Minestrone

Truly Vegetarian Minestrone

Ever since I’ve known her, my sister-in-law has been a vegetarian. When we had hamburgers and hotdogs, she’d opt for a slice of cheese and slaw on a bun. I’ve always felt kind of bad for her living in such a carnivorous family, but it was just recently that her plight in finding food that fits her needs really hit home.

We were at lunch in a soup-and-sandwich shop, and I suggested the minestrone soup. Then I realized that for a vegetarian, even vegetable soups aren’t always safe. Minestrone doesn’t usually have any actual meat in it, but it is classically made with beef and chicken broth.

 

That made me head straight into the test kitchen. What could I use that would be more interesting than vegetable broth? Then I remembered V-8, the ultimate vegetable juice. I wondered what one of our classic minestrone recipes would taste like made with V-8 juice. Guess what? It is delicious. So drum roll please ... introducing a truly vegetarian minestrone soup. Hope you enjoy.

Have you used V-8 in any interesting or different ways? Please let us know in the comments section following this post!

Comments

From Lynn - March 27, 2010

Thanks for looking out for vegetarians.

From Tigerdirect Coupon Codes - March 29, 2010

Well looks nice and tasty.I recently came to your blog and so i will definitely try to make this soup today.Keep sharing.

From Beverly Mills - April 29, 2010

From Rita Scaggs of Chillicothe, Ohio, via email: Thanks for the recipe using V-8 juice. I am an avid user of V-8 and other store brands of similar products. Using a V-8 type product for the liquid or in place of tomatoes is a great idea and it also makes a great gazpacho based soup or use it in place of water on a meat product when baking in an oven. This article only confirmed for me that I am not the only V-8 user who does more than drink it. Thanks again.

From Beverly Mills - April 29, 2010

From Ann Tyler of Hilliard, Ohio, via email: I’ve used Mr. and Mrs. T’s regular Bloody Mary mix (not the hot and spicy) in lots of soups. Adds an extra dimension of flavor and background spice. I especially like it in all vegetable, Minestrone and bean soups. It is much like the V-8 with another slant. I don’t use Mr. and Mrs. T as my total liquid. I usually use some chicken or vegetable stock in my Minestrone for example, but I cram all my soups full of veggies. I always enjoy reading your recipes. Thanks!

From Beverly Mills - October 05, 2010

From Phyllis in Brooklyn, via email: Hi Ladies, Loved this recipe. Really delicious. I swapped out the Italian seasoning for something called Spaghetti Piccanti, also an Italian seasoning, but with a little kick! Thanks for all the good food! Phyllis

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