Sausage and spinach soup

Submitted by Anya4405

"This is the closest I could get to Bertucci's sausage soup. I find that the quality of the sausage meat you use is critical in the recipe and try to use better sausage whenever I can."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 1 lb italian sausage meat, broken up
• 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes (plain or with Italian herbs)
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 6 ounces frozen spinach (or equivalent amount of canned or fresh)
• 1⁄2 cup white rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 tablespoon butter
• 8 cups water
• salt and black pepper

directions

1. Sautee the onion in oil and butter until soft.
2. Add the sausage meat and stir-fry until no longer pink on the outside.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the water and bring to boil.
5. Add the canned tomatoes and the rice.
6. Cook until the rice and the sausage are done.
7. If using frozen spinach, add it early and break apart; if fresh or canned, add it a few minutes before the end.
8. Serve with grated mozzarella sprinkled on the top.

Reviews

[babyhapp]

I also make this soup, I use equal parts chicken and beef broth instead of water, use brown rice and turkey sausage and it is even healthier! I basically just brown the sausage (undercook it a little as it will cook more in the soup) the rest of the ingredients I put right in the pot as they are (including the onion), the rice takes a good 45 minutes to cook so the onions soften plenty in this time (which is also why I undercook the sausage, else it is a bit overcooked and rubbery). This soup has so many delicious variations, is so simple and a huge hit with everyone who eats it!

 

[TheChefisme]

I made this recipe with one substitution of 6oz. of tomato sauce instead of tomato paste and found this recipe to be very tasty and colourful. Everyone loved it. Thanks Anya!

 

[Courtney L.]

Absolutely delicious! I made a few tweaks - I used Italian turkey sausage instead of pork, 1/4 jar of sugar free tomato sauce (instead of paste) 4 cups no salt added 99% fat free chicken broth, 4 cups water, brown rice, and a jar of no salt added diced tomatoes with green chilies instead of regular canned tomatoes. So satisfying and healthy!!!

 

[jagret]

The variation that I make most is with little turkey meatballs instead of sausage. I also use chicken both instead of water

 

[annlouise]

Very good; much better than I initially thought it would be. I cooked the sausage separately; there was enough fat with the olive oil and butter. Used fresh spinach...mmm. The kids weren't that excited about the tomatoes, but maybe they're just not used to it.