Healthy Minestrone Soup with Italian Sausage (Vegan Option!)
Minestrone Soup is a deliciously simple soup packed with veggies, beans, italian sausage, and plenty of herbs. Also high fiber and high protein!
Ingredients
Directions
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Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a preheated large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add in the italian sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
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Next, add in the other 1 tbsp olive oil to the pot. Then add in the diced onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until golden brown and softened.
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Next, add in the minced garlic and herbs. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
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Once the garlic and herbs are toasted, add the 4 cups chicken broth, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can crushed tomatoes, and 2 bay leaves. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Once everything is simmering together, add in your 3/4 cup of dry ditalini pasta and the 1 cup of green beans. Mix well. Stir ocasionally while you cook the pasta according to package instructions, about 10-11 minutes.
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Once the pasta is done, stir in your 2 cups of chopped kale and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Here is where I assess if I need to add more water, I usually add about 2 cups. Wait for the kale to wilt and any additional water to heat up, about 2 minutes.
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Now it's ready to serve! I love my soup topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese and some extra parsley.
Notes
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for about 5 days.
I usually have to add some more water or broth when I reheat it as some of the liquid gets absorbed.
Note on pasta shapes: I like ditalini pasta because it's so small and works great in a soup, but macaroni or orzo would be the best substitutes. Any pasta shape smaller than penne should work!
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