A great soup for dinner, can be made as spicy as you like, and freezes wonderfully. Add freshly grated Parmesean to the top, and serve with a hot crusty piece of ciabatta bread. YUM!
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup uncooked pasta shells
PREPARATION:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until evenly browned, and break into pieces. Stir in the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, red pepper, and sage. Continue cooking 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Mix in tomatoes, and cook until heated through. Stir in the broth and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
Stir pasta into soup, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.