VEGAN FENNEL AND TOMATO SOUP

This soup freezes well, so you may want to double the recipe to save half for later.

found this one in Vegetarian Times / serves 6

dice the fennel bulb

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large fennel bulb, diced (4 cups)

3 vegan Italian sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds (2 cups)

1 tsp. fennel seeds (I used fennel powder)

2 Tbsp. dry vermouth, dry white wine, or water

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 - 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in soup pot over medium heat.  Add fennel, and saute 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in sausages and fennel and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until fennel seeds are slightly softened and bits of sausage are stuck to bottom of pan.

Add vermouth, and cook 5 to 10 seconds to deglaze pan, scraping up any brown bits.

Add broth, tomatoes, and parsley; cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer about 25 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired. 

this "sausage" has bits of sun-dried tomatoes running through

saute the fennel and "sausage"

fabulous flavor from very few ingredients