Description
A hearty and flavorful sausage minestrone soup, perfect for a cozy meal, made with Italian sausage, vegetables, beans, pasta, and a delicious pesto and Parmesan garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces mild Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 ½ cups celery, chopped
- 1 ½ cups carrots, chopped
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 (15 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup yellow squash, chopped
- ½ cup dry ditalini pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Basil pesto, to garnish
- Grated parmesan cheese, to garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, brown the Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the fat.
- While the sausage is cooking, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
- Add the tomato paste, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and dried oregano to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the can of Italian tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
- Add the cannellini beans, red kidney beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and dry pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
- If the soup is too thick, add 1-2 more cups of chicken broth to reach your desired consistency.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. Allow it to wilt for about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper (if desired).
- Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of basil pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- If using a slow cooker, follow the steps for browning the sausage and sautéing the vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, then add the remaining ingredients.
- If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth to reach your desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 25mg