About
Nona always says that the best things in life take time, and that's true of Nona's Italian Soup, one of her favorite recipes! It takes a little patience to let the slow cooker work its magic, to ensure the beans get creamy, the veggies tender, and the soup wonderfully thick and comforting. But once it's ready? It's like a big hug from Grandma! Nona's Italian Soup is a meaty and marvelous soup that is worth the wait!
Ingredients
- For the soup:
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or spicy
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 (20-ounce) package Hurst's HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup®, plus the seasoning packet, rinsed and drained
- 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 red bell pepper, diced large
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch-thick
- 1 cup marinara sauce or tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Optional, for serving:
- parmesan cheese, to taste, shredded
- fresh parsley and/or basil, to taste, chopped
- bread, to taste, sliced
Directions
Step 1 -In a skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and the onions and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 2 -Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 3 -In a 6-quart slow cooker, add the beans, the sausage mixture, the broth, the red bell pepper, the garlic, and the Italian seasoning and stir to combine.
Step 4 -Cover the slow cooker and cook until the beans are tender, about 5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.
Step 5 -Add the diced tomatoes, the zucchini, the bean soup seasoning packet, the marinara sauce, and the red wine vinegar to the bean mixture and stir to combine.
Step 6 -Cover the slow cooker and cook until the zucchini is tender, about 45-50 minutes.
Step 7 -Top with the parmesan cheese and the parsley.
Step 8 -Serve with the bread.
