Italian sausage adds a flavorful kick to the classic combination of pasta and vegetables.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 6–8
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, halved, and cut diagonally into ½-inch slices
2 celery stalks, sliced diagonally
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups unsalted beef broth, plus more if needed
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch, red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 ounce piece of Parmesan cheese rind, for thickening and flavor, optional
6 ounces cavatappi or favorite small pasta
Grated or shaved Parmesan, for garnish
In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat, cook sausage until all pink is gone. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain excess grease except for 1–2 tablespoons. (Or add olive oil, if needed.) Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Return sausage to pot and add tomato sauce, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, rosemary and Parmesan rind. Stir well, lower temperature and simmer for 30 minutes. At this point, if adding pasta, add 1–2 cups additional stock. Add pasta and cook 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig. (It’s okay if needles have fallen off rosemary sprig into the soup.) Serve in individual soup bowls sprinkled with lots of Parmesan cheese and crusty bread on the side.
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