Sausage Minestrone Soup
Sausage Minestrone Soup blends Italian sausage with a medley of vegetables including onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, and baby spinach, simmered with beans, diced tomatoes, pasta, and herbs to create a hearty, warming soup with a mix of savory, fresh, and tender components. It is finished with basil pesto and Parmesan cheese for added depth.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage mild
- 1 onion chopped, medium
- 1 & 1/2 cups celery chopped
- 1 & 1/2 cups carrot chopped
- 1 tomato paste 6 ounce can
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 Italian style diced tomatoes 15 ounce can
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cannellini beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 red kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup zucchini chopped
- 1 cup yellow squash chopped
- 1/2 cup ditalini pasta dry
- 2 cups baby spinach
- basil pesto to garnish
- Parmesan Cheese to garnish, grated
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, brown the Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the fat.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
- Add the tomato paste, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and dried oregano.
- Saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add the can of Italian tomatoes and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until all the carrots are tender.
- Add both cans of beans, the zucchini, yellow squash, and dry pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer another 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
- At this point, you can add another cup or two of chicken broth, if you feel like it's not "soupy" enough.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. I like to roughly chop mine so it's easier to eat, but you don't have to!
- Wait about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt, and then it's ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper. (I actually didn't add any! Sign of a killer soup, right?)
- Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.
Slow cooker Instructions:
- Follow the instructions through step 4. Pour everything into the slow cooker, then add the tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Stir in the beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and pasta. Cover and turn the heat to high. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
- Turn off the slow cooker. Stir in the spinach and cover another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- If Italian diced tomatoes are unavailable, regular diced tomatoes can be used as a substitute.
- Any short pasta similar to ditalini works well in this soup.
- This recipe is sourced from a reliable home cook, offering a well-rounded minestrone experience.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 -10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 381
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 381kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 37g | 12% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 928mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 5257IU | 105% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 134mg | 13% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.