Chickpea & Sausage Minestrone

Soup's on (again)!  This hearty and filling soup has less than 200 calories per 1-1/2 c. serving.  I made this after church one Sunday and it was a perfect winter lunch.

CHICKPEA & SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

Recipe Notes

Buy pre-diced celery and carrots to save time.  The original recipe calls for chicken stock, but I only had chicken broth, and the taste was still just fine.  This is a spicy and robust soup.  Credit to Cooking Light for the recipe.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)

197 calories - 4.7 g. fat - 26.5 g. carbs - 12 g. protein - 4 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. uncooked small shell pasta
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 (4 oz.) link hot turkey Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 c. diced carrot
• 1/2 c. diced celery
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 15-oz. can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 c. chicken stock (or chicken broth, depending on availability)
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain and set aside.

2.  While pasta cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan and swirl to coat.

3.  Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, stirring to crumble.

4.  Add onion, carrot, celery, parsley, thyme, crushed red pepper, and garlic.  Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened.

5.  Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.

6.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

7.  Stir in shell pasta, salt, and pepper.  Cook one additional minute.

8.  Serve hot with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, if desired.