Description
A hearty and comforting sausage and vegetable soup featuring a medley of fresh vegetables simmered to perfection with flavorful sausage and finished with a creamy touch of heavy cream. Perfect for a cozy meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Proteins
- 1 pound sausage
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
Liquids and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat Pot: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat to prepare for cooking the sausage.
- Cook Sausage: Add the sausage to the pot, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and fully cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Set Sausage Aside: Remove the cooked sausage from the pot and set it aside to add back later.
- Sauté Onions: In the same pot, add olive oil and then the chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add Garlic: Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Cook Carrots and Celery: Add diced carrots and celery to the pot and stir. Cook for 3-4 minutes so the vegetables soften slightly.
- Add Remaining Vegetables: Add diced potatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper to the pot, mixing everything together evenly.
- Combine Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes with juices. Stir in dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and the bay leaf.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 20-25 minutes until potatoes and vegetables are tender.
- Reintroduce Sausage: Add the cooked sausage back into the soup once vegetables are tender.
- Add Spinach: Stir in chopped spinach and allow it to wilt into the soup for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the soup becomes creamy and well combined.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed for desired flavor.
- Finish Soup: Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Serve: Serve the soup hot, optionally garnished with fresh herbs of your choice.
Notes
- You can substitute turkey sausage or chicken sausage for a leaner option.
- For a dairy-free version, omit the heavy cream or use coconut milk instead.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like green beans or corn based on preference.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust salt carefully depending on the sodium content of your chicken broth.
