Tuscan Sausage Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian ground pork sausage
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 large carrot, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (19 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (28 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¾ cup (3 oz) small ring pasta, such as ditalini
  • 3 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup plain panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

  1. Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, and carrot; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the sausage, until no longer pink. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaf. Heat to boiling, reduce to medium-low, and simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Add pasta; simmer 8 to 9 minutes until tender. Remove and discard bay leaf.
  3. Stir in spinach; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, heat oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes until toasted and golden brown.
  5. Divide soup among bowls; garnish with cheese and toasted bread crumbs.

Yield

8 servings

Total Time

1 hour