Basil Pesto Minestrone With Sweet Italian Sausage Food

SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND PESTO

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, brown the Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Drain the fat.
• Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
• Add the tomato paste, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and dried oregano.
• Saute for about 5 minutes.
• Add the can of Italian tomatoes and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30-45 minutes, until all the carrots are tender.
• Add both cans of beans, the zucchini, yellow squash, and dry pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
• Simmer another 10 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
• At this point, you can add another cup or two of chicken broth, if you feel like it's not "soupy" enough.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. I like to roughly chop mine so it's easier to eat, but you don't have to!
• Wait about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt, and then it's ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper. (I actually didn't add any! Sign of a killer soup, right?)
• Garnish each bowl with a teaspoon of pesto and a few grates of Parmesan cheese.

MINESTRONE SOUP WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cook the sausage links in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. After 4-5 minutes turn the sausages, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer the sausages to a cutting board and allow to cool before coin slicing.
• Over medium heat, add olive oil to the same large soup pot. Cook the garlic, carrots and onion until wilted, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage, zucchini, potato, both stocks and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the parsley, oregano, basil, pepper and salt to taste. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
• Add the sausage, beans, tomatoes, and pasta, simmer until the pasta is done (about 8 minutes). Serve with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

BASIL PESTO MINESTRONE WITH SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring large soup pan to high heat and add oil. Saute onions, zucchini, celery, carrots, and bay leaves until onions are translucent.
• Add stock, tomatoes, beans, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt + pepper to taste, water, green beans, Parmesan rind, and garlic. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes.
• While soup is simmering cook sausage on charcoal/gas grill with a hunk of smoking wood (if available).
• Add pasta,spinach, and water and simmer for 25 minutes longer.
• When sausage is finished cooking, chop it into small chunks.
• Add red wine and sausage and cook for 5 minutes longer.
• Serve each bowl with about 1 teaspoon of basil pesto. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan to taste. Have extra virgin olive oil at table to drizzle in soup.

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In soup kettle, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir in the carrots, celery, leek and garlic; cook for 3 minutes.
• Add zucchini and green beans; cook 2 minutes longer.
• Stir in broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 45 minutes.
• Return to a boil, stir in garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley.
• Cook for 6-9 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
• Serve with Parmesan cheese.

PASTA WITH BELL PEPPERS, PESTO AND SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Remove casing from sausage links. Heat skillet, and add links. Break up meat while cooking (like ground beef consistancy) Cook until nicely browned.
• Place on paper plate with paper towel to soak up extra grease. Place aside until needed.
• Wash tomatoes and slice up into workable size. Place in food processor.
• Peel garlic cloves and place in processor with tomatoes.
• Cut lemon in half, squeeze juice from one half on top of tomatoes and garlic on food processor.
• Wash basil and cilantro. Place herbs in food processor as well.
• Process until all tomatoes are chopped up - NOT until smooth. You want a little chunkiness. Sauce will be a little watery. (I have thought about adding a small can of tomato paste or something here to thicken the sauce and make it more like what you would get out of a jar, however I have never tried it so I'm not sure how it would work/taste.).
• Wash and cut up pepper. Cut into slices and then cut the slices in half.
• Place tomato sauce in pan and add in meat. Heat for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until warm. Add in pepper for a few minutes and cook until desired firmness. (I only put them in for about 2-3 minutes as I like them just warm, and still crunchy.).
• Mix sauce with warm pasta, stir in pesto and serve ENJOY!

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the carrots, celery and leek; cook for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, green beans and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. , Return to a boil. Stir in the garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley. Cook for 6-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese.

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion, carrots, basil and garlic; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir broth, tomatoes and great northern beans into sausage mixture. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in macaroni, zucchini and frozen green beans. Heat to boiling. Cook over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are hot and macaroni is tender.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

MINESTRONE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over med-high heat.
• Add sausage, onion, carrots, basil, and garlic; cook 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until sausage is no longer pink; drain.
• Stir broth, tomatoes, and great northern beans into sausage mixture.
• Heat to boiling; decrease heat to med-low.
• Cover; cook 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in macaroni, zucchini, and frozen green beans; heat to boiling.
• Cook over med-high heat 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are hot and macaroni is tender; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.