This Italian Sausage Minestrone Recipe is a tasty and fun twist on classic minestrone. A few unlikely additions like chickpeas, green beans, and artichoke hearts make it anything but the usual. Plus, you’ll love the flavors of fennel seed and anise from the Italian sausage. So tasty and comforting!
If you like this one, you’ll also enjoy: Greek Avgolemono (chicken soup); Spanish Chickpea Stew; Eggplant Parmigiana; One-Pot Middle Eastern Chicken
I almost shared a chicken wings recipe today. But, I figured the subject of Superbowl and chicken wings has been covered plenty elsewhere these days. So, I am saving my wings with my awesome sauce (always wanted to say that) for another time. It’s okay to go against the trend once in a while, right?
And really, one should pause and celebrate National Soup Month; for I am a big souper. What is a “Souper,” you ask? I know it is not a real word, and you’ll have to give me some grace, once in a while, given that English is my second language 🙂 My very own definition of “souper” is someone who loves soup and eats lots of it all year round. That be me!
But I am not alone as a soup lover. This handy infographic about America’s favorite soups states that Americans eat more than 10 billion bowls of soup every year! And, in a recent study where more than 2,000 people were asked to rank their favorite soups, chicken noodle soup came in first place! Note to self, share my Greek chicken Soup) But to be fair, neither minestrone nor any Italian sausage soup were even on the short choice list.
Italian Sausage Minestrone Recipe
In a minestrone recipe like this one, you have a chance to build an easy, hearty dinner bowl filled with lots of textures and flavors. As you know, common ingredients found in a basic minestrone soup include beans, celery, onions, tomatoes and pasta. I chose to add spicy Italian sausage because I enjoy the heat and the already incorporated flavors of fennel seed and anise. I had some chickpeas and a bag of frozen artichoke hearts which, I think, made a great addition. I love to add fresh herbs, and this time, I went for both parsley and basil.
Step-by-step for Italian Sausage Minestrone
Spray a non-stick pan with very little oil. Heat the pan on medium-high and brown the sausage until it is fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute the chopped onion and celery for a brief 2-3 minutes or so. Now toss in the chopped garlic; saute for a few more seconds then add the green beans, artichoke hearts, canned tomatoes, dried oregano and a small dash of salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Now add the cooked sausage and broth; stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium-high heat for another 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low; cover and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
Uncover to add the pasta, chickpeas, and parsley. Raise the heat back to high and cook uncovered for another 8-9 minutes (pasta should cook to al dente). Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil.
Transfer to serving bowls and garnish each with a little Parmaginao Reggiano! Enjoy with a side of your favorite bread.
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Try these additional delicious recipes:
Mediterranean Bean Soup with Tomato Pesto
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Italian Sausage Minestrone Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 6
Description
You are going to LOVE this hearty soup! Pair it with some fresh bread and it is sure to be a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 8 oz french green beans, trimmed and cut
- 12 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
- 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt & pepper (small dash to taste)
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup small pasta such as mini Farfalle or elbow macaroni
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas
- 1 cup chopped parsley leaves
- 7 large fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup grated Parmagiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Spray a non-stick pan with very little oil. Heat the pan on medium-high and brown the sausage until it is fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute the chopped onion and celery for a brief 2-3 minutes or so. Now toss in the chopped garlic; saute for a few more seconds then add the green beans, artichoke hearts, canned tomatoes, dried oregano and a small dash of salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Now add the cooked sausage and broth; stir to combine. Continue to cook on medium-high heat for another 10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low; cover and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Uncover to add the pasta, chickpeas, and parsley. Raise the heat back to high and cook uncovered for another 8-9 minutes (pasta should cook to al dente).
- Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil.
- Transfer to serving bowls and garnish each with a little Parmaginao Reggiano! Enjoy with a side of your favorite bread.
Notes
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
Shared…. Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Yum!!
shown a lot of love on this beutiful recipe
Thanks so much Peter!
Your recipes look so good.
It looks delicious, a great meal for this cold weather 🙂
this look amazing!
Looks delicious!
Awesome sauce! I’m a total souper too 😀 . Where I grew up, we eat noodle soup all year long. Love that you included so much veggie in this soup, look very tasty.
Thanks, Trang! I love noodle soup soooo much, every time we go an Asian restaurant, I try and order some noodle dish of sorts. It’s sooo good, and I like a little spice too!
I can’t wait to try this! Yummy!
You are a super souper and we all are drooling over the photos of this minestrone!
Thanks so much, Maureen! I do like this minestrone a lot.
This looks so good. If I could grab a spoon and have a bowl right now I could. I love all your variations. Artichoke hearts, genius! Pinning this!
Thank you, Melinda! You are so kind. This is one of my favorite soups, just the right bite of comfort 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping in!
This soup is gorgeous!! So much color and nutritious goodness! In love! 🙂
Thanks Jen and Emily! Glad to see you here again!
Your minestrone soup looks absolutely amazing!!!
Thank you, Debra! Glad you stopped in!
It was fabulous!!!! Thank you for the sample 🙂
1 15-oz can chickpeas, Denise! Thanks, friend. I’ve added that. Let me know how it turns out for you.
I made mine with Cannelini (sp?)… Italian white kidney beans. It was wonderful! Thank you for the great ‘dinner soup’ recipe.
Great to see you adjusted the minestrone ingredients to your liking! Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
Huh. I stare at my own writing too much Denise Rasberry! Thanks for catching this omission! It’s 1 15-oz can of chickpeas.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! I left you a message in the comments about not having the amount of chick peas listed in the ingredients.