Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound beef, turkey, or chicken sausage
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 large red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 large green bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 medium zucchini (quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup dry red apple vinegar
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans tomato sauce (15 ounces each)
- 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (15 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1–2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ cups small pasta (such as shells or ditalini)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, brown the sausage over medium heat until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in the same pot; sauté chopped onion for 3–4 minutes.
- Add chopped carrots and celery; cook until tender (about another 3–4 minutes).
- Stir in bell peppers and zucchini; cook until all vegetables are soft.
- Mix in minced garlic and apple vinegar; bring to a boil.
- Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Return sausage to the pot; boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in pasta; cook an additional 10 minutes until pasta is tender.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1⅓ cups (300g)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: For added nutrition, consider incorporating seasonal greens like spinach or kale into the soup. Adjust the spice level by varying the amount of crushed red pepper flakes according to your preference.
