Vegan Vegetable Pesto Soup
A heart-warming, herb-infused vegetable soup packed with tender orzo, creamy white beans, chickpeas, and vibrant vegan basil pesto.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Makes
6 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Alicia + Lila
Alicia created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthDigestive comfort
A portion that works for you
Fiber and plants can support digestion, but more is not always better overnight. Start with a comfortable portion and build gradually.
Notice: comfort + portion
Comfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
Steadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Basic kitchen utensils
Time saver
Prep the vegetables and measure pantry ingredients earlier in the day to shorten cook time.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 8 steps complete
Next: Prepare all ingredients before starting
- 01
Prepare all ingredients before starting
Prepare all ingredients before starting. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.
Tap card to mark done - 02
Add diced yellow onion
Add diced yellow onion, sliced celery stalks, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.
Look for: the onions become soft and translucent
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add sliced zucchini
Add sliced zucchini, green beans, and chopped Tuscan kale. Stir to combine with the aromatic base for 2 minutes.
Allow: 2 minutes
Tap card to mark done - 04
Rinse and drain the chickpeas and white…
Rinse and drain the chickpeas and white beans. Add them to the pot along with the low sodium vegetable broth.
Tap card to mark done - 05
Bring the soup to a rolling boil…
Bring the soup to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Look for: vegetables are tender
Tap card to mark done - 06
Stir in the dry orzo pasta and…
Stir in the dry orzo pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Look for: the pasta is tender
Tap card to mark done - 07
Remove the pot from heat
Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the vegan pesto until completely dissolved into the warm broth.
Look for: completely dissolved into the warm broth
Tap card to mark done - 08
Ladle the soup into bowls to serve…
Ladle the soup into bowls to serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
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