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Photo Credit: Timothy J. Barron
Spinach and Sausage Country Soup
This is a recipe for what I refer to as Spinach and Sausage Country Soup, which is a unique and rustic Italian style soup. The recipe originated from the March 2007 issue Cooking Light magazine, and the original version can be found on the MyRecipes website. The soup is surprisingly not heavy, quick and easy to make, and can be enjoyed any time of the year. Obviously, being from Cooking Light magazine, the original recipe uses dietary focused ingredients, such as hot turkey sausage and fat free chicken broth. The recipe is quite adaptable in that manner, and any of the ingredients can be adjusted. My modifications the original recipe were minor, and include some changes in measurements and preparation steps. The photos above and below were taken by me before consuming the food, and there was no trickery as commonly done with photos from cookbooks or food blogs.
For the purpose of simplicity, the recipe below lists non-dietary focused ingredients. I have made it both ways, such as with hot Italian turkey sausage and fat free chicken broth, and the result is quite pleasing either way. I have also tried the soup with fresh basil and fresh oregano, but my preference is to use dried herbs with this particular recipe. The usage of pecorino romano cheese truly complements the flavor of the sausage, so I would not recommend altering it until you have tried it that way. My brand preference is Boar's Head pecorino romano, which is imported from Italy.
Ingredients
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Olive Oil: about 2 tablespoons
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Yellow Onion: 1 cup, finely diced
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Garlic: 2 teaspoons, minced
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Hot Italian Sausage: 12 ounces, remove any casings
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Water: ½ cup
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White Cannellini Beans: 15 ounce can, drained
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Tomatoes: 15 ounce can, petite diced
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Chicken Broth: 15 ounce can
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Dried Basil: 2 teaspoons
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Dried Oregano: 2 teaspoons
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Course Black Pepper: 1 teaspoon
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Baby Spinach: 2 cups, freshly chopped
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Pecorino Romano Cheese: freshly grated
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Toasted Bread: optional, garlic bread, Texas garlic toast, etc.
Preparation Steps
Sprinkle a large pot with the olive oil, and warm the oil under medium heat.
Add the diced yellow onions, and sauté about 4 minutes until the onions turn clear and tender.
Add the minced garlic and Hot Italian sausage, and mince with a fork until cooked thoroughly.
Stir in the water, white cannellini beans, petite diced tomatoes, chicken broth, dried basil, dried oregano, and course black pepper.
Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the soup slightly thickens.
Remove the pot from the heat, and gently stir in the chopped baby spinach.
Ladle the soup into wide rimmed bowls. Sprinkle with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese. Optionally serve with a toasted bread of choice, such as garlic bread, Texas garlic toast, garlic cheese bread, etc.
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