I happened to get a 3 lb package of Italian sausage 50% off last summer and came home with my loot and froze it. My love for Italian sausage knows no bounds, but my knowledge of recipes that use the savory meat is limited. I went on a search and bookmarked all kinds of recipes, even ones that I wouldn't normally try. This recipe was one of those ones. I'm a Go Big or Go Home kind of girl when it comes to spices and combining flavors but since a friend had passed on some carrots and zucchini from her garden I tried this soup. Not my usual style; there's no fresh herbs, no dried spices, no addition of condiments lurking in the fridge. Just meat, vegetables and broth.Much to my surprise, I had to have 3rd and 4th helpings of this soup. The flavor is incredible!
The spices in the Italian sausage marries with the broth and vegetables creating a soup so delicious it is now at the top of my favorites list.
I shredded the carrots and zucchini in order to disguise them from my 2 1/2 year old, but doing so also has the added benefit of cooking up in a snap.
Recipe slightly modified from Recipezaar
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Serves 4-6
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 14 1/2 oz can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup carrot, shredded
1 14 1/2 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 small zucchini, shredded
2 cups baby spinach, packed and rinsed
Salt and pepper
In a large pot over medium high heat add your Italian sausage. Brown the sausage with the garlic for about 6-8 minutes breaking it up while it's cooking. Add the beef broth, tomatoes, carrots, white kidney beans and zucchini. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste the broth and see if it needs any salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach. The residual heat of the soup will wilt the spinach. Serve.
Click here for printable version of Italian Sausage Soup
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THE RESULTS?
Soups are perfect for cold weather and since it has been -35 C here this soup NEEDS to be the remedy. Doctors orders for frosty bodies and tempting tummies.
I submitted this recipe to Gayle's Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
and the $5 Dinner Challenge.