Basil Pesto Minestrone With Sweet Italian Sausage

Total Time: 55 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 9 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups red onions, diced
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini, diced
• 1 (14 ounce) can italian cut green beans, drained
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can great northern beans, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups small shell pasta
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 inch piece of rind for parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1 lb italian turkey sausage
• 2 cups basil pesto

Recipe

• 1 bring large soup pan to high heat and add oil. saute onions, zucchini, celery, carrots, and bay leaves until onions are translucent.
• 2 add stock, tomatoes, beans, basil, oregano, italian seasoning, salt + pepper to taste, water, green beans, parmesan rind, and garlic. bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes.
• 3 while soup is simmering cook sausage on charcoal/gas grill with a hunk of smoking wood (if available).
• 4 add pasta,spinach, and water and simmer for 25 minutes longer.
• 5 when sausage is finished cooking, chop it into small chunks.
• 6 add red wine and sausage and cook for 5 minutes longer.
• 7 serve each bowl with about 1 teaspoon of basil pesto. sprinkle freshly grated parmesan to taste. have extra virgin olive oil at table to drizzle in soup.