Minestrone with Italian Sausage

We loved this recipe! I got a great complement, too... One of our favorite special treat outings is to go to Olive Garden resturant and the boys all order soup and they bring unlimited refills and breadsticks. They love the minestrone there. Well, I made this from my Taste of Home magazine (which we also love) and the boys loved it! They told me it was better than Olive Garden! That is something around here.

Now if I could just make breadsticks as good....

Here is the recipe.. and it is very healthy, except for the Italian sausage. But I won't leave it out, it really makes it yummy.



Minestrone with Italian Sausage
From Taste of Home






INGREDIENTS


1 pound bulk Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium leek (white portion only), chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 cups beef broth

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup uncooked small pasta shells

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese





SERVINGS 11

CATEGORY Soup

METHOD Stovetop - One-Dish

PREP 25 min.

COOK 60 min.

TOTAL 85 min.





DIRECTIONS



In a 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 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 Parmesan cheese. Yield: 11 servings (about 3 quarts).