Smoked Beef Sausage Soup

I love ham hocks and 15 beans soup. I love potato soup. I also love beef stew, meatball soup and chicken soup, but sometimes I just want something different and a chance to play with my food so I went to my kitchen, tossed the fridge and pantry and came up with this soup on a cool rainy spring day when soup just seemed to fit the mood. Serve it with hot crusty garlic bread to dip into the broth. Use vegetable broth and leave out the meat for a vegetarian soup. Fast and easy after work meal.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1  lb  smoked beef sausage, diced
• 1  large onion, diced
• 1 (2 ounce) package  dry onion soup mix (optional)
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 6  cups  vegetable stock or 6  cups  beef stock
• 1  cup  sliced carrot
• 1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
• 4  cups fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1  tablespoon dried oregano
• 1  tablespoon basil
• 2  teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1⁄4 cup red wine (optional, but highly recommend)

Directions

1. Place carrots, onions, garlic, onion soup mix, spices and beef stock in a large soup pot; simmer until vegetables are done.
2. Add the pasta, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and wine; simmer until pasta is done.
3. Add smoked sausage and spinach; bring to boil, stirring occasionally until spinach is wilted and soup is hot. Salt and pepper to taste.