Sausage Minestrone Soup

This minestrone soup is loaded with vegetables and the Italian sausage gives it the perfect flavor for an easy, weeknight meal.

This recipe contains aidells sausage, pasta (shell), olive oil, onions, fresh garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, chicken stock, tomatoes (plum, canned), kale, beans (great northern), basil (fresh), salt, pepper, cheese (parmesan, grated)

6 - 8 Servings

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. Aidells sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices (pref- italian)
• 1/2 cup(s) shell pasta
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 3 clove(s) garlic, finely chopped
• 1 whole celery stalk, diced
• 1 whole carrot, diced
• 1 whole zucchini, diced
• 2 whole boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
• 5 cup(s) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 can(s) 15oz. tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cup(s) kale or chard, shredded
• 1 can(s) 15oz. white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup(s) basil, chopped
• 1 ds. salt, to taste
• 1 ds. pepper, to taste
• 1 pn. parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions:

• 1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, zucchini and potatoes and cook, stirring until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock and tomatoes and bring to simmer.
• 2. Simmer until the vegetables are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• 3. Add the kale or chard, beans and pasta and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
• 4. Add the sausage and basil and cook until the sausage is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• 5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 6. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.