Made with garden fresh vegetables and spicy Italian sausage, this Classic Minestrone Soup with Sausage recipe is perfect anytime of the year.
How to Make Classic Minestrone Soup with Sausage
I have to admit that even though it’s summer, I still like hot soup. So what better way to enlist the multitudes of veggies in my fridge than by making this summer-inspired quick and easy Classic Minestrone Soup with Sausage recipe.
It’s loaded with flavor from some of my garden’s herbs, along with a couple of hot Italian sausages to kick the heat up a bit. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Best of all I got two thumbs up from my family.
And, being a tried and true recipe, Minestrone has been enjoyed by Italian and non-Italian diners for thousands of years–yes, it’s true!
It started out being vegetable-based, then eventually with the advent of more trading and such, meat was added to the mix.
There’s even a reference from an ancient cookbook that talks about the addition of chickpeas (which I’ve included at other times), along with other kinds of greens.
What I love about minestrone soup is that it has the awesome distinction of being a “left-over” soup, meaning that you can incorporate a number of other veggies not listed in my recipe below that would also work should you have them instead.
RELATED: Summer Harvest Beef Stew
And, this left-over soup can literally become a “left-over” itself as a frozen meal to be reheated later.
So, if you really think about it, this Classic Minestrone Soup is a hard-working dish that should earn two thumbs up for quick and easy dining, as well as a budget-friendly meal that I hope you’ll make again and again. Enjoy!
For more delicious soup and stew recipes, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Recipe Section.
Classic Minestrone Soup with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 hot Italian sausage links chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup onion chopped finely
- 2 cups Romano beans
- 2 cups carrots cut into chunks
- 2 cups green beans fresh-cut into chunks (or canned-kitchen-style)
- 1 1/2 cups celery chopped
- 2 cups zucchini quartered and sliced
- 1 cup green onions chopped
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
- 2 cups spinach chopped (kale works well, too)
- 2 cups tomatoes chopped finely
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped finely
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 15.5 oz cannellini beans rinsed
- 3 cups pasta cooked (optional)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Parmesan grated (optional)
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven add olive oil, hot Italian sausage and onions.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
- Add rest of the ingredients, except pasta and parmesan.
- Stovetop: Simmer on stovetop for approximately 2 hours.
- Oven Bake: Place stockpot or Dutch oven in oven set for 375 degrees F for 2 hours.
- Once minestrone has cooked, stir in cooked pasta (optional).
- Let soup cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
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