Penne and White Bean Soup with Italian Sausage and Fresh Spinach
Ingredients:
- 1 yellow onion – peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic – peeled and pressed
- 4 large mild Italian pork sausage links
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 T dried basil
- 1 1/2 cups dried penne pasta
- 1 bunch fresh spinach leaves – washed and coarsely chopped
- 2, 15 oz cans white or cannellini beans – drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
Preparation:
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic with olive oil, stir often for about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking into bite sized pieces as it cooks. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red wine, spices, and penne pasta along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Stirring often, bring to a high simmer. Reduce heat a bit and cook until pasta is al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
Add spinach to the soup along with the white beans. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick. Stir until all is heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in individual soup bowls and sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the top. Serves 6-8.