Arame is a dark brown Japanese sea veg sold as long, wiry strands that are rich in dietary fiber. Its mild flavor makes arame one of the most versatile seaweeds and a great addition to salads and soups, as it won’t overpower other ingredients. If you don’t have arame, rehydrated and chopped kombu or wakame can be used in this recipe. You can also use cranberry, kidney, cannellini or orca beans if you’re adzuki bean-less. Whichever ingredient combo you use, each spoonful of this nourishing minestrone is like a liquid hug.
They’ve bean everywhere
In Asia, lightly sweet red adzuki beans are used in everything from soups to desserts. The legumes are packed with fiber, protein and vital minerals. To prepare dried adzuki beans, soak them overnight, and then simmer in a pot of water until they’re tender, about 40 minutes.
Amazingly Comforting Arame Minestrone
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 oz) arame
- 2 tsp grapeseed oil or sunflower oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
- 2 cups sliced crimini or shiitake mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste, without salt added
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup vegan dry white wine
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 2 cups (about 6 oz) whole grain orecchiette, small shells or other small pasta
- 2 cups cooked or canned adzuki beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories249
- protein10g
- fat2g
- carbs47g
- sugar5g
- fiber9g
- sodium361mg
Directions
01
Place arame in large bowl, cover with cool water and gently stir. Soak for 5 minutes. Drain, coarsely chop and set aside.
02
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and salt; heat until onion begins to darken, about 6 minutes. Add squash, mushrooms and garlic; heat for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, coriander, chili flakes and black pepper; heat for 30 seconds. Add white wine to pan and boil for 1 minute. Add broth, canned tomatoes and pasta to pan, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in arame, beans and vinegar and heat through.
03
Ladle into bowls and serve. This soup will thicken upon resting, so stir in additional broth when reheating leftovers.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a nutrition writer and recipe developer. He’s also the author of Rocket Fuel and Muffin Tin Chef.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Crab Cap Salad
These crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms can do double duty as a fancy starter for a casual dinner party or a light main course on any given night. Meaty and umami-rich portobellos serve as a holder for a light-tasting seafood salad. Gills begone Even though the gills of mushrooms are edible, they will darken and discolour everything they touch. Besides, after you scrape out the gills, you’ll have more room for stuffing. And don’t discard the stems; they can be saved and used when making veggie stock.
Curried Lentil Stuffed Squash
Serving saucy lentils in squash halves is a sure-fire way to elevate your plant-based menu. And, yes, the whole bowl is edible, skin and all. If desired, you can add dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream. Spice of life Garam masala, a blend of spices traditionally used in Indian cooking, usually includes cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, fennel, cumin, and coriander. It’s great on roasted meats and vegetables.
Kartoffelknödel Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Toasted Bread and Spinach
“Germans do potatoes in general very well,” says Canadian expat Chris Gilles, who now lives in Munich and has celebrated many an Oktoberfest there. “Knödel seem kind of rubbery. You don’t really think it’s potato when you first see it, but it’s tasty.” But he might be surprised to find that this alive -inspired version of Bavarian potato dumplings is made with a combination of potato and cauliflower, because as anyone who’s eaten cauliflower gnocchi knows, the low-carb vegetable is a great way to lighten up starch-heavy foods (and Biergarten menus). Happy Knödelfest! The original version of these snacks are so popular that it even gets its own food fest: Knödelfest, which happens in September in Austria, about a 1 1/2-hour drive from Munich. If alive threw a Knödelfest, these dumplings would definitely be on the menu, served simply as snacks with sliced radishes and fresh parsley or dill, or topped with butter, beer gravy, or mushroom sauce. The dumpling test You can test one dumpling by shaping it and then boiling it before shaping the rest. If the water is lower than a boil and it still falls apart, add more starch to the batter before shaping another ball and testing again.
Dunkel Beer-Marinated Rotisserie-Style Chicken
This dark beer-marinated chicken uses the convection setting on your oven to create a crispy skinned bird. Convection cooking circulates air around the meat, crisping it like rotisserie without needing a spit or a lot of oil, similar to an air fryer (which you can also use!). If you don’t have a convection setting on your oven, you can simply bake the chicken for longer at the same temperatures as below, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 F (74 C). You can use any dark beer, but our pick is, obviously, something German. Oktoberfest barbecue You can also grill the whole chicken on a barbecue—which makes for an impressive presentation and a gorgeously crispy bird—but it’s best to spatchcock it first (take out the backbone) so it cooks more evenly and quickly. Make it fast! If you don’t want to make an entire chicken—or if you want your dinner to cook faster—use this marinade (without stuffing the chicken cavity) on chicken breasts, thighs, or iron-rich chicken livers instead.