Sausage Minestrone Soup with Orzo

By rsaitz

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet italian suasage
• 1 lb hot italian sausage
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large spanish onion chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• fennel chopped
• 5 carrots chopped
• 1 28 oz can of tomatoes, chopped
• 3 qts veggie stock or chicken stock
• 4 cups of tomato juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 oz can chickpeas
• 16 oz can of black beans
• 16 oz can of cannelli (or white) beans
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 large summer squash, diced
• 1/2 cup orzo dry
• 3 Tbsp basil chopped
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. place suasage on the ban and bake for 25 minutes. let cool on plate lined with paper towel. cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices

heat stock pot. add olive oil and veggies through carrots. saute for 8 minutes. add tomatoes, stoc, juice, bay leaves, beans and sausage. bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 40 minutes. remove bay leaves. add squashes and orzo. cook for 10 more minutes. stir in basil, salt, and pepper.