Hearty Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup

Warm up your fall evenings with a bowl of our Hearty Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup. This family favourite is brimming with flavours from rich Italian sausage, sweet onions, fresh celery, crunchy green peppers, and tender zucchini.

Yields: 1 large pot (about 8 cups)

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian sausage, sliced

• One large onion, chopped

• Three stalks of celery, chopped.

• One large green pepper, chopped (or use red/yellow for added colour)

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• One can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained.

• Two medium zucchinis, chopped

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the Sausage:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the sliced Italian sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside. 2. Sauté Vegetables:

• Add the chopped onion, celery, and green pepper to the same pot—Sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. 3. Combine Ingredients:

• Add the sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, and an undrained can of whole tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Return the sausage to the pot, add the chopped zucchini and the broth, stirring to combine. 4. Simmer:

• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender—season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Serve:

• Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!
  

Tips:

• This soup tastes even better the next day, so consider making it ahead.

• Add a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans for a thicker soup.

• Customize the vegetables based on what you have on hand or prefer.

Enjoy your hearty Italian sausage vegetable soup!

Hearty Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup