italian chicken sausage & vegetable soup
Back when we lived in Minnesota, soups were a regular lunch rotation while I suffered through winters.
Now that winter = 60 degrees, I find myself forgetting to make soups and stews, always waiting until it “cools down just a bit more.” Well, no more. I figured that since my office always feels cold, there’s no reason to wait until it cools down.
The (very hot!) day I decided to make this soup, I watched Giada make a Vegetable & Barley Soup and I took two things from the episode: 1) Use a parmesan rind to help flavor soup (which I’ve always meant to do) and 2) Use the sausage as a topping instead of letting it simmer in the soup.
Like any good lunch or dinner – it’s healthy and tasty!
I wanted the soup to be full of vegetables as well as a good source of protein and fiber. So it’s simple. Fill the soup with tender-crisp vegetables and throw in some chicken sausage for a protein boost, it’s a filling combo. It happens to be gluten-free and paleo, if you’re into those things!
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Italian Chicken Sausage & Vegetable Soup
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- about 1 heart of celery (2 cups chopped)
- about 1 pound of carrots (2 cups chopped)
- 10–12 cups of chopped kale
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- parmesan rind (optional)
- 12 oz italian chicken sausage
- salt & pepper
- parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot.
- Add onion and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add garlic, celery and carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add kale, broth, water, tomatoes and parmesan rind and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.
- While soup is cooking, thinly slice chicken sausage in half lengthwise and then chop.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp of olive in in medium pan and sauté about 3-4 minutes, until brown, set aside.
- To serve, top serving of soup with chicken sausage and parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 17 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Protein: 25 grams
This looks so good!! It’s about 50 and rainy here today and it would be perfect.
I’m VERY jealous of that weather report!
Does the parmesan rind melt in the soup?
No, not at all. It just helps to flavor the broth so it stays intact and you can easily remove it.
I’ve been craving soup lately even though the weather has been anything BUT soup weather! I love the idea of this soup and putting the Parmesan rind in it. Making this!
Same, Allie! I’ve had it with the weather.
this sounds so delightful! i’ve seen giada share her parmesan rind tip…so great, i need to try that. i <3 her!
You read my mind. I’m ready for cooler weather. I broke down and made chili last week. Soup is next on my list! I like that you did sausage as more of a garnish than main event. Also fresh herbs! I need to do that more in soups!
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It’s definitely cool enough outside for soup. I like to flavor my broth with cheese rind too- it makes it super tasty!
You picked a good week to visit here because it’s miserable today (45 degrees, windy and cloudy)! Great seeing you 🙂 And, this soup… perfect for a day like today! Yum!