Hearty Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup

It is still not quite cold enough here to warrant soup, but dang its officially fall and I have been craving soup.  Especially last week since we all were hit hard with a nasty cold.  Nothing better than soup to cure a cold.  This soup was ridiculously easy to make.  I googled  a few recipes and then just created my own version.  The sausage and white beans are a must in the soup, they give it great flavor.  We added in a couple drizzles of our homemade hot sauce to give the soup even more heat and spice.  You must serve this with crusty bread toasted with butter, I promise it is necessary.  You will want to dip the bread in the soup.  It makes alot we had leftovers for three days, so you could totally freeze the extra.

:: I T A L I A N   S A U S A G E   A N D  W H I T E   B E A N  S O U P ::

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage – $8.00
3 carrots, peeled and chopped – $1.39
1 sweet onion, chopped – $1.03
4 cloves garlic, chopped – stock
3 quarts chicken broth – stock
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juice – $3.58
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – $1.78
1 tablespoon dried basil – stock
1-lb (16-oz) whole wheat shell pasta, uncooked – $2.29
8 ounces spinach leaves – $3.00
salt and pepper to taste – stock
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (if desired)
Grand total assuming well-stocked kitchen: $21.07
Cost per serving: $1.75
Directions:
1. Remove sausage from casings and brown over med-high heat in the bottom of your largest stockpot. Crumble the sausage as you brown it.
2. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and saute until tender and starting to turn a bit golden, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, pasta and basil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue cooking until pasta becomes a bit tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, according to your preference.
5. Serve hot garnished with grated parmesan, if desired.
- See more at: http://feastonthecheap.net/tuscan-sausage-soup/#sthash.bCLX3Pjy.dpuf

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage – $8.00
3 carrots, peeled and chopped – $1.39
1 sweet onion, chopped – $1.03
4 cloves garlic, chopped – stock
3 quarts chicken broth – stock
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juice – $3.58
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – $1.78
1 tablespoon dried basil – stock
1-lb (16-oz) whole wheat shell pasta, uncooked – $2.29
8 ounces spinach leaves – $3.00
salt and pepper to taste – stock
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (if desired)
Grand total assuming well-stocked kitchen: $21.07
Cost per serving: $1.75
Directions:
1. Remove sausage from casings and brown over med-high heat in the bottom of your largest stockpot. Crumble the sausage as you brown it.
2. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and saute until tender and starting to turn a bit golden, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, pasta and basil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue cooking until pasta becomes a bit tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, according to your preference.
5. Serve hot garnished with grated parmesan, if desired.
- See more at: http://feastonthecheap.net/tuscan-sausage-soup/#sthash.bCLX3Pjy.dpuf

1 pound hot italian sausage

1/2 white onion diced

3 carrots peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

3 garlic cloves

6 cups chicken broth (add more if needed)

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1 can cannelini beans, drained

2 cups fresh spinach

 1 12 oz box shell pasta

1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

fresh grated parmesan cheese

hot sauce

Cook sausage until browned, drain and set aside.  In a large pot or dutch oven sautee onions, carrot, celery, and garlic about 5 minutes or until softened.   Add in sausage, tomatoes, beans, pasta, basil, red pepper flakes,  and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.  Cover pot and continue cooking until pasta is tender.  I actually let ours simmer about an hour but it is ready way quicker than that if you are in a rush.  Stir in spinach and add salt and pepper to taste.  Add in a few drizzles of your favorite hot sauce and fresh grated parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage – $8.00
3 carrots, peeled and chopped – $1.39
1 sweet onion, chopped – $1.03
4 cloves garlic, chopped – stock
3 quarts chicken broth – stock
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juice – $3.58
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – $1.78
1 tablespoon dried basil – stock
1-lb (16-oz) whole wheat shell pasta, uncooked – $2.29
8 ounces spinach leaves – $3.00
salt and pepper to taste – stock
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (if desired) - See more at: http://feastonthecheap.net/tuscan-sausage-soup/#sthash.bCLX3Pjy.dpuf

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage – $8.00
3 carrots, peeled and chopped – $1.39
1 sweet onion, chopped – $1.03
4 cloves garlic, chopped – stock
3 quarts chicken broth – stock
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juice – $3.58
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – $1.78
1 tablespoon dried basil – stock
1-lb (16-oz) whole wheat shell pasta, uncooked – $2.29
8 ounces spinach leaves – $3.00
salt and pepper to taste – stock
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (if desired)
Grand total assuming well-stocked kitchen: $21.07
Cost per serving: $1.75
Directions:
1. Remove sausage from casings and brown over med-high heat in the bottom of your largest stockpot. Crumble the sausage as you brown it.
2. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and saute until tender and starting to turn a bit golden, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, pasta and basil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue cooking until pasta becomes a bit tender, about 7 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, according to your preference.
5. Serve hot garnished with grated parmesan, if desired.
- See more at: http://feastonthecheap.net/tuscan-sausage-soup/#sthash.bCLX3Pjy.dpuf