Description
Hearty sausage and vegetable soup warms winter nights with rich Italian flavors. Savory sausage, tender vegetables, and aromatic herbs create a comforting bowl you’ll crave after a long day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (500 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups (1 liter) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 medium bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 1 cup baby spinach (optional)
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Protein Foundation: Render sausage in a large skillet, creating golden-brown crumbles through gentle manipulation with a wooden utensil for even caramelization.
- Aromatic Base: Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in the rendered sausage, allowing vegetables to soften and release their subtle flavor profiles.
- Vegetable Medley: Add zucchini, bell peppers, and green beans to the skillet. Pour in diced tomatoes and broth, incorporating Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Flavor Development: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat. Simmer leisurely, allowing ingredients to meld and tenderize while developing complex flavor nuances.
- Final Touch and Seasoning: Fold spinach leaves into the soup during the last moments of cooking, permitting them to wilt seamlessly. Assess and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to optimize taste profile.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the vibrant soup into serving bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and optionally complement with crusty artisan bread or a sprinkle of aged Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Optimize Sausage Browning: Ensure high heat and avoid overcrowding the pan to achieve perfect golden-brown sausage crumbles with maximum flavor development.
- Balance Vegetable Texture: Cut vegetables uniformly to guarantee even cooking and maintain distinct vegetable integrity throughout the soup.
- Control Simmering Intensity: Maintain a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil to prevent vegetable breakdown and preserve nutrient richness.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Consider adding a splash of white wine during sautéing vegetables or a parmesan rind during simmering to elevate overall taste complexity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg