Rustic Italian Sausage Minestrone
Rustic Italian Sausage Minestrone is the kind of soup that makes you want to grab a big bowl, a hunk of crusty bread, and settle in for a cozy evening. But this isn’t your average vegetable soup! Italian sausage adds a savory richness, two kinds of beans make it hearty, and fire-roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh rosemary, and pesto bring loads of flavor. Little pasta pearls tucked into the broth make every spoonful a little different, and a shower of Parmesan on top is never a bad idea.
The best part? This soup tastes like you’ve been cooking all day, but most of the work is simply chopping a few vegetables and letting everything simmer together. It’s perfect for a chilly night, makes plenty for leftovers, and freezes beautifully. Ready to make a big pot of soup that will have everyone asking for seconds? Let’s get to it!
Start by browning the Italian sausage in a large Dutch oven. Let it develop some color before breaking it into smaller pieces, because those browned bits add so much flavor to the soup. Transfer the sausage to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the same pot, scraping up all those delicious bits left behind. Stir in the garlic, then add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Let the tomato paste cook for a few minutes until it darkens slightly. This little step deepens the flavor and gives the broth a wonderful foundation.
Now comes the easy part! Add the crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, broth, carrots, beans, roasted red peppers, rosemary, bay leaves, pesto, and seasonings. Let everything simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have had time to mingle. The pesto adds a lovely herbal note, while the fire-roasted tomatoes give the broth a little extra depth.
Stir in the pasta and reserved sausage, then simmer until the pasta is just tender. Keep an eye on the consistency, since the pasta will soak up some of that flavorful broth. Add a little extra broth if you prefer a soupier bowl.
Before serving, remove the bay leaves and stir in the fresh parsley. Ladle the soup into big bowls and finish with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan. Add some crusty bread for dipping, and dinner is done!
One little tip: the soup is even better the next day, when all those flavors have had more time to get acquainted. Just keep extra broth handy when reheating, because the pasta likes to drink up the good stuff!
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Rustic Italian Sausage Minestrone
Makes: 12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, bulk
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 6–8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, diced, liquid reserved
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 medium bay leaves
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
To Finish:
- 1 cup ditalini, acini de pepe or other small pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
For Serving:
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh rosemary, optional
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and let it brown undisturbed for 3–5 minutes. Stir, breaking it into small pieces, and continue cooking until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside. If there is more than 2 tbsp of fat in the pot, remove the excess.
Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Add the crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken broth, carrots, both kinds of beans, roasted red peppers and their reserved liquid, rosemary, bay leaves, pesto, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup may foam briefly when the baking soda is added. This is normal.
Stir in the acini de pepe and reserved sausage. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Add more broth as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
Remove the bay leaves and stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan and a little fresh rosemary, if desired.
Chef’s Notes:
- Acini de pepe is especially good in this soup because it holds its texture well. Ditalini, tubettini, or orzo can be substituted, although they may absorb more broth.
- For a lower-carbohydrate or gluten-free version, simply omit the pasta.
- The soup freezes well, including with the acini de pepe. Allow it to cool before transferring to airtight containers.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb some broth as the soup sits, so add extra broth when reheating if needed.
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