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Minestrone with Sausage and Pesto

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A hearty and flavorful minestrone soup enhanced with Italian sausage and a spoonful of basil pesto, packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta for a nutritious and satisfying meal. Can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces mild Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 (15 ounce) can Italian style diced tomatoes
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup zucchini, chopped
  • 1 cup yellow squash, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry ditalini pasta
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • basil pesto, to garnish
  • grated parmesan cheese, to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.
  2. Add tomato paste, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and oregano to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
  3. Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  4. Add the cannellini beans, kidney beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and ditalini pasta. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
  5. Stir in the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
  6. Serve the soup garnished with a spoonful of basil pesto and grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

This soup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. To prevent pasta from becoming mushy, store cooked pasta separately and add before serving. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/minestrone-sausage-pesto-recipe/