Description
This Hearty Italian Sausage Spinach Soup is a comforting and nutritious dish perfect for any day. Packed with flavorful Italian sausage, fresh vegetables, beans, and whole-grain pasta, this soup combines robust tomato broth with tender spinach for a satisfying meal that is easy to prepare and versatile.
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Meat
- 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed (or purchase ground sausage)
Liquids & Sauces
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 4-5 cups no salt-added chicken broth
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-grain elbow pasta, uncooked (or other preferred pasta)
- Half a box frozen spinach (about 6 cups fresh spinach can be substituted)
- 1 can (19 oz) no-salt added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and carrots, cooking until the onions become fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic during the last minute of cooking to prevent burning.
- Cook Sausage: Add the ground Italian sausage to the pan. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, approximately 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat to keep the soup lean.
- Simmer Soup Base: Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the uncooked whole-grain pasta, frozen or fresh spinach, and rinsed cannellini beans. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve the soup warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use ground Italian sausage to save prep time, or remove casings from sausage links if preferred.
- Whole-grain pasta adds fiber and nutrition, but any preferred pasta shape can be used.
- Frozen spinach is convenient, but fresh spinach works well; use about 6 cups for substitution.
- Drain and rinse canned beans to reduce sodium content.
- Adjust salt to taste at the end since chicken broth and tomato sauce may add some saltiness.
- For a vegetarian version, omit sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
