Sausage Minestrone

Submitted by Irmgard

"This is a super easy version of the popular Italian soup, made with ingredients found in most fridges and pantries. I am lucky in that I am able to buy loose Italian sausage meat in 1 lb. packages at my grocer. If you can't get loose sausage meat, just get 1 lb. of sausage and remove the meat from the casings."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 ounces mild italian sausage meat
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 28 ounces diced tomatoes
• 19 ounces red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1⁄2 cup dried alphabet pasta (or use whatever small soup pasta you like)

directions

1. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Saute the sausage until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Drain the fat from the pan.
5. Add the remaining oil to the pan and saute the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Return the sausage meat to the pan.
7. Add the tomatoes, beans and 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, in a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until tender but firm, about 6 minutes.
10. Drain and add to the soup.