Provencal Vegetable Soup with Crisp Parmesan “Toasts” (Gluten-Free)
This hearty, vegetarian soup is a supper unto itself. It’s quick to prepare, but storebought pesto adds the rich flavor of a long-simmered soup. Instead of serving bread alongside, try this novel approach: garnish the soup with a parmesan-topped, crisp gluten free waffle.
Serves 4
At Nature’s Path we recommend you use organic ingredients whenever possible.
This recipe was created especially for Nature’s Path® by Lorna Sass, the award-winning cookbook author of Whole Grains, Every Day, Every Way and Whole Grains for Busy People.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Finely Chopped Onion
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Celery
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Carrot
- 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence or 1/4 tsp. each dried thyme, basil, rosemary, and fennel seeds
- 3 c. Gluten Free Vegetable Broth
- 1 can Tomatoes, diced (15-oz) with liquid
- 1 can Cannelloni or Navy beans, drained (15-oz)
- 1 Zucchini, medium, diced
- 3 tbsp. Pesto Sauce
- Salt to taste
- For the crisp parmesan “toasts”:
- 1/4 c. Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 4 Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise or Home Style Waffles
- 2 tbsp. Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
Directions:
- To make the soup: Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onions, celery, and carrot and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown. Toss in herbes de provence.
- Add broth, tomatoes, beans, zucchini, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons pesto and salt to taste.
- While soup is cooking, make parmesan“toasts”: Set rack in center and preheat oven to 425F. (Or use your toaster oven!)
- In a small bowl, blend olive oil and garlic powder. Brush oil onto both sides of waffles. Set on a cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon cheese to top of each waffle. Set on a cookie sheet and bake until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Float one parmesan “toast” on top of each. Set a tiny dollop of additional pesto on top of the waffle.
