Chicken sausage vegetable soup is warm, comforting, and everything you want on a chilly fall evening.
We have soup at least once a week once autumn comes around. Not only is it a perfect fall or winter dinner, but I get leftovers for work lunches. A bowl of soup is a delightful accompaniment to my everyday salad.
My soups have to be hearty, filling, and have lots of veggies. A meal in a bowl needs lots of wholesome, healthy, colorful, and tasty ingredients.
Ingredients
Olive Oil: Used to saute the veggies.
Celery, Red Pepper & Onion: Great mix of vegetables to add color, texture, and flavor to the soup.
Garlic: Adds great flavor.
Salt & Pepper: Salt and pepper are always needed in soup to bring out the flavors. Keep in mind the chicken sausage and stock do contain sodium, so add salt accordingly.
Italian Seasoning: Certainly use fresh basil, parsley, and oregano if available. But dry seasonings are perfectly fine.
Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a touch of heat. I tend to be a little heavy-handed with the red pepper flakes, as we like spicy.
Canned Tomatoes: Color, texture, and flavor.
Great Northern Beans: I love beans in soup! They give the soup some bulk and in turn make a filling, hearty meal.
Low Sodium Chicken Stock: The liquid base of the soup.
Russet Potatoes: Another veggie! I rarely peel potatoes, but the choice is yours.
Chicken Sausage: I used this chicken & apple variety the last time I made this recipe. I used three links of the four in the package.
Baby Spinach: Gives the soup some great green color and, of course, the excellent nutritional value spinach provides.
Parmesan Cheese: Adds a touch of richness to the soup. Freshly grated parmesan is always preferred.
Instructions
Grab a large, deep pot, and let’s make soup!
While the vegetables are sautéing away in the pot, you can gather and prep the rest of the ingredients. This is what I love about making soup. It takes time, but it’s leisurely cooking. While part of the ingredients do their thing in the soup pot, you are standing nearby getting everything else ready.
I like to leave the potatoes unpeeled, as I just rarely peel potatoes. The peel contains a lot of nutrition and adds to the taste and texture.
Chop the chicken sausage links into even-sized discs. You could also cut them in half for smaller pieces if you chose.
Once the vegetables are starting to get tender, add the seasonings, tomatoes, beans, and chicken stock. Once the soup is simmering, add the potatoes and chicken sausage.
Once the potatoes are tender, add the spinach and freshly grated parmesan. The spinach will quickly wilt, and the soup is done.
Scoop yourself out a bowl of chicken sausage vegetable soup and enjoy.
For other hearty, filling soups try this turkey chili or turkey noodle soup.
Chicken Sausage Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
- 15 oz can great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 medium Russet potatoes peeled if desired and diced into small pieces
- 3-4 chicken sausage links sliced into discs
- 1 cup baby spinach roughly chopped
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add celery, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic, then season with salt and pepper and stir to coat.
- Sauté until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, canned tomatoes, beans and chicken stock. Bring the soup to a heavy simmer and add potatoes and chicken sausage. Partially cover the soup with the lid and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add baby spinach and Parmesan cheese, then cook until spinach is wilted. Serve warm.