Italian Sausage Soup Recipe

Name: Italian Sausage Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients: 4 links mild Italian sausage (or about 1.5 lbs); 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes - drained; 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans - drained; 1 cup diced carrots; 1 cup diced celery; 3 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 zucchini, diced; ½ bag of spinach - you can use more if you would like; 64 ounces beef broth (I used 2 32 ounce cartons); 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; handful of fresh basil, chopped,; handful of fresh parsley, chopped; 1-2 teaspoons salt (the sausage and broth already have salt in them so taste before adding salt); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1½ tablespoons flour

Ingredients

4 links mild Italian sausage (or about 1.5 lbs)
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes - drained
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans - drained
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 zucchini, diced
½ bag of spinach - you can use more if you would like
64 ounces beef broth (I used 2 32 ounce cartons)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
handful of fresh basil, chopped,
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 teaspoons salt (the sausage and broth already have salt in them so taste before adding salt)
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ tablespoons flour

	PREP TIME 20m	COOK TIME 3h	TOTAL TIME 3h20m
YIELD 8-10 servings

Instructions

In a large pot add a few tablespoons olive oil. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add the rest of ingredients except zucchini, spinach, fresh basil and parsley.
Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. After 2 hours add zucchini,spinach and fresh parsley. Take a few ladles of the broth and mix it with the flour.
Add the broth and flour mixture to the soup - this will help thicken it slightly. Simmer for one more hour. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.
You can also make this in the crock pot - brown sausage in a pan. Once browned add the sausage to the crock pot with the rest of ingredients, except zucchini, parsley, basil and spinach. Cook on low for 6 hours and then add zucchini, basil, parsley and spinach. Take a few ladles of the broth and mix it with the flour.
Add the broth and flour mixture to the soup - this will help thicken it slightly. continue to cook for 1-2 hours more.
Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.