Pasta Fagioli
So the recipe wasn't vegan but made that way easy enough.
Pour about 5 Tbsp olive oil in large pot over med-high heat. Slice 1 clove of garlic and 1 yellow onion and add to the pot, cooking 5-7 minutes until it gets carmelized.
Add 3-1/2 C water, 2 C marinara sauce, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped rib of celery including leaves, 1 can of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained), 2 boullion cubes, 1 large fresh basil leaf (I didn't use fresh) and for some heat 2 dried crushed pepperoncini peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Put the lid on loosely, to allow a little heat to escape, and cook on medium for about 35 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes or so to make sure it's getting nice and thick. While the sauce is reducing, cook 1 lb of pasta to al dente. Drain pasta and pour it into pot of sauce. Turn off heat and stir until pasta is well coated. Top with 1/4 C fresh chopped parsley and grated pecorino Romano. Buonissimo!
*Instead of canned beans, you can soak 1 C of dried beans overnight, then cook according to directions on bag. Even cheaper!
So to veganize it all I did was use veg boullion instead of chicken and skipped the cheese. This was one of several recipes sent in by Depression era grandmas to the magazine. Many were vegan or easy to veganize since meatless meals were in back then. This lady was obviously very Italian. Clara Cannucciari, 94 years old. I like old people.
It was very good cheeseless. My non-veg family liked it.