Italian Sausage Soup

Instructions

• Brown the Italian sausage in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring several times. Add the zucchini and cook until the onions and celery are soft. Then reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Add the chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans. Bring the soup to a low boil. Stir in the elbow macaroni. Reduce the heat to a simmer or very low boil, and cook the soup until the pasta is tender. Garnish with fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, and a sprinkling of shredded Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Notes

• If you have a nearby meat market, call and ask if they make their own Italian sausage. It is well worth the added expense and trip to the market.
• For aesthetic purposes, peel the carrots. It brings out that beautiful, bright orange color.
• You can sub any medium to small pasta in this soup, including penne, rotini, shells, farfalle, ditalini, or radiatori.
• Fresh thyme is always delicious, and I usually have it on hand. However, you can substitute fresh chopped parsley or a little dried marjoram or thyme.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months.  

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3532IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg