Tuscan Sausage Soup

Prep 35 min
Total 60 min
Servings 8

When you don’t know what’s for dinner but it needs to be comforting, we suggest this soup. It has a brothy tomato base that’s loaded with rich Italian sausage, sweet carrots, caramely onions, tender cannellini beans, silky spinach and just the right amount of pasta. Top it off with a handful of garlicky butter-toasted Progresso™ bread crumbs and a handful of Parmesan, and you’ve got dinner. Extra credit if you serve it alongside a green salad and loaf of crusty bread. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated November 22, 2019

Make with

Progresso Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

lb Italian ground pork sausage

cup chopped onions

large carrot, peeled, cut into quarters lengthwise and into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 cup)

tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1/4

teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

cups Progresso™ reduced sodium chicken broth (from two 32-oz cartons)

can (19 oz) Progresso™ cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

bay leaf

3/4

cup (3 oz) small ring pasta, such as ditalini

cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

tablespoon olive oil

1/2

cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs

1/2

cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

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1

Heat 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions and carrot; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up sausage, until sausage is no longer pink. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant.
2

Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes, oregano and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Add pasta; simmer 8 to 9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove bay leaf, and discard.
3

Stir in spinach; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes; stir.
4

Meanwhile, in 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat Add bread crumbs; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted and golden brown. Remove from heat.
5

Divide soup among serving bowls; garnish each with cheese and toasted bread crumbs.

Expert Tips

In the cold months, we can’t get enough soup, particularly hearty soups with plenty of veggies in the mix. With 3 cups of spinach, a can of Muir Glen™ fire roasted diced tomatoes, onions and carrots, it’s the easiest way we know to get everyone to eat their vegetables. After all, there’s pasta and sausage in the mix, and the topping of buttery bread crumbs and Parm doesn’t hurt either. Keep this recipe on hand for a night when you’ve got a crowd to feed or a bunch of veggies to use up! We predict it’s about to become a new family fave.
Leftovers aren’t a problem with this recipe, as the soup freezes beautifully.
Ditalini pasta is a short tubular pasta that is sometimes labeled as ring pasta. Orzo or small elbow-shaped pasta are both good substitutes if ditalini isn’t available.
The simple finishes of Parmesan and toasted Progresso™ panko bread crumbs make this soup an instant family favorite.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 1/2 Cups

Calories: 340
Calories from Fat: 140

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 15g; 24%
Saturated Fat 5g 27% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol: 30mg; 9%
Sodium: 1080mg; 45%
Potassium: 480mg; 14%
Total Carbohydrate: 33g; 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 18% Sugars 5g
Protein: 18g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 50%; 50%
Vitamin C: 4%; 4%
Calcium: 15%; 15%
Iron: 15%; 15%

Exchanges:

1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;