Ingredient Notes
Italian Sausage – You’ll need one pound of Italian sausage. You can find this in either links or bulk in your store’s meat department. If using links, you will need to remove the meat from the casings. Most Italian sausage is labeled either “sweet” or “hot” which basically just means spicy and not-spicy. I always grab the non-spicy “sweet” one, but feel free to use either! Bean With Bacon Soup –We’re talking good old condensed bean with bacon soup here. This may seem like a strange ingredient but, trust me, it adds a subtle richness and smoky flavor to the finished soup. Red Pepper Flakes – Speaking of heat, feel free to adjust the red pepper flakes as you see fit. 1/8 teaspoon will add some nice flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. If you like a little kick, feel free to bump it up to 1/4 teaspoon or more.
Instructions
The instructions here are very simple. Brown the aromatics and then toss everything in and simmer!
Can I make minestrone soup ahead of time? This soup actually shines brighter after reheating, in my opinion. Feel free to make it a day ahead of time and reheat as needed. Can I freeze this soup? Minestrone freezes beautifully. Freeze the prepared soup in individual portions or follow these freezer instructions for the whole batch: Cook sausage, onions, and garlic and drain if necessary. Place in a large Ziploc bag or large freezer-safe container. Add remaining ingredients. When ready to cook, Place contents of the bag in a large slow cooker and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 6-8. Can I make in it the slow cooker if it hasn’t been frozen? Yep, simply brown the sausage, onion, and garlic in a frying pan and then transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook all day on low.
Serving Suggestions
I think we all know that some good bread is order here! This Easy No Knead Overnight Artisan Bread is perfect for dipping. One-Hour Dinner Rolls whip up fast for yeast bread and French Bread, Hoagies, and Buns or Rosemary Focaccia would be delicious, too. Of course a simple grilled cheese sandwich and side salad would round things out nicely as well.
Did You Make This?
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