Description
A hearty and flavorful Harvest Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup, perfect for cozy fall dinners. This soup features a delicious blend of Italian sausage, fresh seasonal vegetables, and aromatic herbs simmered to perfection in a savory tomato and chicken broth base. It’s gluten-free (with appropriate sausage and broth), nourishing, and easy to prepare on the stovetop, making it an ideal one-pot meal for the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
Vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut
- 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
Canned and Jarred Goods
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Brown the Italian Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 6–7 minutes.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot with the sausage. Cook together until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant, roughly 3 minutes.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the diced carrots, celery, chopped zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to slightly soften.
- Create the Soup Base: Mix in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, dried basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
- Add Greens and Beans: Stir in the chopped kale or spinach, rinsed cannellini beans, and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for an additional 5–7 minutes until the greens wilt and the soup is heated through.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as desired. Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- You can choose sweet or spicy Italian sausage to suit your flavor preference.
- Feel free to swap in other seasonal vegetables such as bell peppers or potatoes for variety.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To keep this soup gluten-free, ensure you use gluten-free chicken broth and Italian sausage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
