Italian Sausage Soup

I invented this soup in January 2009 and posted it on my Facebook page. Since then I’ve made it again and again, refining the recipe as I go. It’s delicious every time no matter how I tweak it. It would be great with crusty bread and sprinkled with cheese.

If you make it, tell me how you like it! (And it goes without saying, please don’t publish this anywhere else.)

Italian Sausage Soup

1 pound Italian sausages (sweet or hot), sliced into 1/4″ to 1/2″ medallions (or use ground Italian sausage meat)
1 onion, diced
2 – 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 green pepper coarsely diced
1/2 red pepper finely diced
2 – 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup peas
salt, pepper
hot pepper flakes
oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary
32 oz beef broth
1 or 2 14-15oz cans petite diced tomatoes (with the juice)
1 14-15oz can northern beans, drained and rinsed

Cook the sausage in soup pot over medium-high heat until mostly cooked. (If necessary, drain the oil.)
Lower heat and slowly cook onion and garlic with the meat, until onion is softens. Scrape up cooked bits of sausage but if some sticks, don’t worry.
Add other vegetables, stir and cook for a few minutes. (About 5)
Add broth, tomatoes, and beans.
Heat to boiling then lower heat and simmer slowly for 30 minutes if you can wait that long. Season to taste.

I usually top it with shredded Mozza.

Notes:

• It’s easier to slice the sausage if they are slightly frozen. The slices turn into little meatballs as they cook.
• You can use fresh or frozen veggies and fresh or dried herbs.
• I’ve often added sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, or whatever I had that would be good and I’ve never had a bad batch.
• You can use plain tomatoes or the kind with Italian seasonings already added.
• This makes a lot, but you can stretch it by adding more broth.
• This soup is much better if it simmers for a long time, or sits overnight.