Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil See Notes for oil-free option.
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, or to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (I used white whole-wheat for a whole-grain option) For a gluten-free option, use brown rice flour.
- 2 cups unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk, divided I used soy milk.
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
- 1 cup dry ditalini pasta or similar small pasta shape (gluten-free or whole-wheat, if desired)
Methods:
- Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and bell pepper and sauté 4 to 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add the parsley, basil, thyme, dill, salt, and flour and stir to combine, scraping up any bits of flour on the bottom of the pot. Slowly pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of milk while whisking continuously, again scraping up any bits of flour on the bottom; a flat whisk is convenient here, but a balloon whisk will work as well. Whisk until the flour is completely incorporated.
- Add the remainder of the milk, vegetable broth, and nutritional yeast, if using. Whisk to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked through, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
