Minestrone Soup With Sausage

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1/2 lb carrot, peeled and chopped into coins
• 2 small zucchini, halved and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 head cabbage
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 3 teaspoons beef base
• 10 cups water
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
• 1 cup dry small shell pasta
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• romano cheese, for topping each bowl (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large, nonstick skillet, brown sausage over medium heat 5-7 minutes, stirring.
• 2 frequently.
• 3 when it is browned on all sides, set aside to drain on paper towels.
• 4 in a soup pot, cook the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until soft, about.
• 5 five minutes.
• 6 add the tomatos, cabbage, garlic, basil, pepper, bay leaves and parsley. stir.
• 7 to combine.
• 8 add the beef base, water and cooked sausage.
• 9 simmer for 30 minutes over medium low heat, then raise heat to high to bring
• 10 to a boil.
• 11 add the dry pasta and beans.
• 12 cook until the pasta is done, about 10-12 minutes.
• 13 serve, or reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to eat.
• 14 serve each bowl topped with grated romano or parmesan cheese.