Italian food is one of the most celebrated cuisines on the planet. How could it not be, with so many complementary flavors, ingredients, and spices? Honestly, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a bit fanatical about it ourselves! We even love the Italian language and way of thinking, too—Mangiare per Vivere e non-vivere per mangiare, or ”eat to live, don’t live to eat”, is one Italian phrase that we feel sums up MPOF’s philosophy about food perfectly. We believe food should improve our physical well-being and taste delicious. Everyone should be able to eat in an intuitive way! Check out our article about the intuitive eating lifestyle. Our love for Italian cooking and culture is what inspires us to share today’s meal prep idea—A vegan Zuppa Pomodoro, worthy of any classy Italian restaurant!
Short on time? This Italian-inspired meal prep idea was practically created for people in a rush because it comes together in just 30 minutes! Plus, it’s chock full of healthy ingredients like hemp hearts! Hemp hearts are actually considered a nut variety, and they consist of over 30% healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats. They are also an exceptional source of the amino acid arginine, a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and reduce your heart disease risk! By consuming hemp hearts, you are also consuming one of nature’s best sources of plant-based protein. They actually rival the amount of protein in meats like lamb and beef!
Zuppa Pomodoro Meal Prep is a classic Italian soup recipe that can be enjoyed warm or cold. Loaded with fresh veggies, we have made this hearty soup recipe so easy that it comes together in just 30 minutes.
Because this meal prep idea is tomato-based, we found that it lasted us a week in the fridge when properly stored! That means that one batch will easily last you for a whole week of prepped meals.
Yes, it can! Like most vegetable soups, we estimate it can even last you 4-6 months in the freezer!
We love this meal prep idea because of how quickly and easily it comes together! Begin by preheating your oven to 250° F. While you wait, cut the sourdough bread into cubes, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing the cubes at 10 minutes. The goal is to have the bread be crunchy afterward. While waiting for this process, combine olive oil, onions, carrots, salt, and pepper in a large pot and heat on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Once the veggies are soft, add garlic, tomato paste, and 1 cup of the vegetable stock, mixing until the tomato paste is nice and smooth. Add in the rest of the vegetable stock and crushed tomatoes, and mix well. At this point, it’s time to put in the hemp hearts and orzo pasta, so add them and then bring the whole mixture to a boil and reduce to low, simmering for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Finish by removing heat and adding in fresh basil.
We strongly preferred portioning this meal prep idea into dual-compartment meal prep containers — One compartment for the soup, and one for the side of sourdough cubes. You can purchase the containers we used right here, or get more info about your container options by checking out our Ultimate Guide to Meal Prep Containers!
We’re thrilled to tell you, you can eat healthy Italian food for all your prepped meals, and MPOF has the recipes you need to make that possible! This Gazpacho Meal Prep Recipe is another fantastic soup option, and you’ll want to make these Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs again and again! Buon appetite!
Zuppa Pomodoro Meal Prep Ingredients:
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