Italian Sausage Soup
A surprisingly rustic yet elegant dish. Hearty for winter and delicious. Packed with veggies and healthy. I often use turkey Italian sausage to keep it a bit leaner but it still packs the full punch of flavor given all the wonderful ingredients. Serve with a crusty Italian bread and you have a dinner that will have everyone in the family wanting more.
2lbs Sausage ( 1 lb mild/ 1 lb spicy or stick with the mild for both if you prefer )
2
large cans crushed tomatoes, drained
6
Carrots Peeled and diced finely
6
Tablespoons FRESH basil, chiffonade (
very important)
5-6 Zucchini’s sliced and chopped finely
2
Tablespoons minced oregano ( fresh or dried)
2 Bell Peppers cleaned and chopped finely( no seeds)
Salt
and Pepper to taste
2
Medium Onions- finely chopped
1
cup Orzo, uncooked ( rice shaped
pasta )- NOTE- Cook this separately- then add to avoid sticking to pot
10
cloves of fresh garlic minced
1 ½
cups grated Parmesan Cheese or more
2 cups of Red Wine or more- to taste
2
49oz cans of Chicken Broth
1
can Diced Tomatoes ( Optional but I always throw one large 28oz can drained)
Directions-
In
a large soup pot, add chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper,
and basil on low heat.
In skillet pan add sausages with casings removed, and
with spatula or wooden spoon, mash sausage meat until it looks like its all
ground together. Turn on heat, and brown, until meat is no longer pink. You do
not want big chunks, so keep mashing it into small pieces. Drain fat from
meat and add to soup pot.
Using remaining fat ( very little) add onions and garlic,
cook, stirring until softened, not browned. Add to soup pot.
Add to soup pot the rest of the chopped
vegetables, and wine. Bring soup to a slow boil Add ½ of the Parmesan
cheese, and reserve the rest for topping the soup when finished. Cook for about
40 minutes.
Cook Orzo per directions on package in a separate pot then add to soup at serving.
Serve and sprinkle parmesan cheese.
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