Nothing beats a delicious hot homemade bowl of soup when the temperature gets cold. Chef Donna shows us Mediterranean Sausage Soup is fast and easy, and of course, delicious!
I love a recipe for soup that takes only a handful of minutes to make and tastes like it took all day to prepare. This Mediterranean flavored soup gets a boost of flavor from Gourmet Garden herbs and spices, which I keep on hand this time of year. The herbs and seasonings stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 months and even longer in the freezer and that makes them my go-to fresh herb and seasoning substitutes this time of year! Most of the ingredients for this easy and fast recipe you’ll have on hand in your pantry. Add some Italian sausage and store-bought fresh pasta, and you have a satisfying – soup-er delicious – meal!
Recipe: Mediterranean Sausage Soup
Serves 3 to 5
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, fine chop
1 tablespoon Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic
1 ½ tablespoons Gourmet Garden Mediterranean Seasoning (substitute Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs paste)
3 fresh Italian sausage links, casings removed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
Fresh pasta (available in your grocer’s dairy section)
¼ cup grated cheese (choose any or a combination of parmesan, pecorino, or asiago)
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Optional: Heavy cream
Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, add onion and soften. Stir in Gourmet Garden seasonings and cook about 1 minute to release aromatics. Add sausage and brown, breaking the meat up with a wooden spatula. Add in tomato paste and combine; add in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer; add in fresh pasta and cook uncovered about 8 to 10 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente. Stir in cheese to thicken soup (optional: stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream for additional thickening or richness). Serve in warmed soup bowls with torn basil leaves to garnish.
Serve this satisfying and hearty soup with crusty bread and a green salad to complete your meal.