Daniella Monet’s Tomato Soup Recipe! | Essex County Moms

September is a busy time, but it also feels like a chance to forge a fresh start. This year, we’re committing to cooking a few healthy meals a week for our families, and if that’s on our September list as well, you’ll want to check out a new app from actress and vegan recipe creator Daniella Monet. “My app, Daniellas Digest, was designed to be a tool to help people live an ethical Plant-based lifestyle with ease. I’ve been vegan for over two decades and have always organically shared everything from how I live to what I make and eat, and now what I feed my kids and family. Because efficiency has never been more important than now with two kids around two, the Meal Plan feature is a game changer,” says Daniella. Users can simply add in their weekly meals and the app will intuitively shop for the ingredients, have them delivered to your door, and more. Below, we’re sharing Daniella’s go-to tomato soup recipe, perfect for using those end of season tomatoes or warming up with a version using canned tomatoes on a winter’s day.

 

Makes 4 Servings

2 small, 1 medium, 1 large

  • Garlic

5 cloves

  • Celery stalk

2 1⁄2

  • Carrot

4

  • Olive oil

3 tbsps + 2 tsps

  • Water

1 1⁄2 cups

  • Dried thyme

1⁄2 tsp

  • Dried basil

1⁄2 tsp

  • No-salt canned diced tomatoes

3 cans

  • Whole wheat orzo

3⁄4 cup + 2 tbsps

  • Tempeh

1 1⁄2 blocks

  • Salt-free chili powder

1 1⁄2 tsps

Optional

  • Salt & pepper

to taste

 

 

Directions

  1. Produce Prep: Peel the garlic and chop cloves into small, rough chunks. Rinse the celery stalk(s) and carrot(s). Chop each into ¼ inch pieces. The smaller the pieces, the faster the soup will cook. Don’t like celery stalks? Feel free to leave it out.
  2. In a soup pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. (To make this recipe oil-free, substitute water for olive oil.) When the pot is warm, add the garlic, carrot, and celery stalk(s). Stir and cover, allowing the ingredients to cook for about a minute. Add the dried thyme, dried basil, canned diced tomatoes, water and stir. Add the whole wheat orzo and allow it to continue cooking until the whole wheat orzo is soft or slightly al dente.
  3. While the whole wheat orzo is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium to high heat. (To make this recipe oil-free, omit the oil and use a non-stick pan.) While the pan is heating, chop the tempeh into small cubes. Add the tempeh directly to the pan. Heat the tempeh until it’s golden brown on one side. Every stove is a little bit different, so medium-high heat may be too hot for your stove. If your pan ever starts smoking, immediately turn off the stove and remove the pan from the heat. This is even more important if you’re working with oil. Flip the tempeh when it’s golden brown on one side. Add the chili powder and salt to taste. Continue heating the tempeh until crispy. This is also a great time to add optional ingredients, like onion powder, garlic powder, and even a little bit of cayenne for heat.
  4. Add the soup to a bowl and add the tempeh on top like croutons, or enjoy the tempeh on the side. Season to taste and enjoy!

Join The Essex County Moms Community

Stay up-to-date with what is happening in-and-around the Essex County Moms community with local events, community highlights, and exclusive deals.