Simple Sausage Minestrone Recipe

Simple Sausage Minestrone Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Chock-full of veggies, this chunky soup is nearly a meal in itself, says Regina Cook of Crowley, Texas. “I got the recipe from my parents, who made it for years. Now my friends ask to come over whenever I make it,” she adds.

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Simple Sausage Minestrone Recipe

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 25 min.

Yield: 2 Servings

20 25 45

Ingredients

1 bacon strip, diced
2/3 cup smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, quartered
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped carrot
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (5-1/2 ounces) tomato juice
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towel. In the drippings, saute sausage, onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in the carrot and celery. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer or until sausage is lightly browned; drain.
Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato juice, zucchini and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the beans and macaroni; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bacon. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/2 cups (prepared with turkey sausage, reduced-sodium chicken broth and reduced-sodium tomato juice; calculated without salt) equals 277 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 1,194 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 16 g protein.

Originally published as Simple Minestrone in Cooking for 2 Winter 2006, p12