Hearty Italian Vegetable Soup

Ever feel like you just want to curl up on the couch with a cozy blanket and a bowl of soup?!

I’ve been there a lot lately.

And so have quite a few of my friends.

I made this soup after a girlfriend texted me saying “Can I PLEASE get that soup recipe you gave me last year!?” She was talking about my Italian Veggie + Sausage Soup.

I had taken it off my website to add new photos to the recipe (new year=new camera=better pictures=steppin’ up my game) and hadn’t gotten around to posting it again. But when this friend texted me, I remembered how absolutely delicious that soup was. So good that my husband asked me to make it a dozen times last year. So good that it warms the body and the soul.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 lb. Italian sausage (I like chicken sausage or spicy turkey sausage)* for a Vegan option, use Beyond Meat ground beef – or omit altogether
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 14 oz of vegetable broth
• 14 oz of organic beef broth* for a vegan option, sub with vegetable broth
• 2 cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes (I love Muir Glen)
• 6 large, organic carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 can of Northern Beans (organic) untrained
• 1 small zucchini, cubed into 1/4-inch pieces (skin can be on)
• 1 package organic frozen spinach or kale – or a handful of the fresh stuff
• 1 cup chopped potatoes (I used Yukon gold potatoes—but Idaho russet, Katahdin, red bliss, or any other type should work)
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• salt for seasoning
• Optional: 3 cups of tortellini (I used a Four Cheese Italian Tortellini) 
•  resh (hormone-free) Parmesan for topping

The Method:

1. Spray a sautéing pan with EVOO or your favorite nonstick cooking spray. Cook the sausage over medium-heat, stirring consistently, until cooked.  Add in minced garlic while cooking. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Peel and chop carrots into 1/2 -inch chunks.
3. Chop your zucchini into ¼-inch chunks (seeds and skin are fine). Chop potatoes into ½-inch cubes.
4. In a large soup pan, combine broth, undrained tomatoes, carrots, undrained beans, zucchini, potatoes and cooked sausage. Turn heat to medium-high and cover. Add in garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, basil, and oregano. Stir occasionally, for 20-minutes, covered. Then add in frozen spinach and tortellini (right into the pot of soup) and cook another 10-20 minutes or until veggies are all tender. Finish with your desired amount of added salt.
5. Serve and Enjoy!