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Mama’s Marvelous Minestrone

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone

Brrr! It’s been cold here this week. This sort of weather makes me crave a hot and hearty bowl of soup. So I thought I’d share one of our family’s favorites today: Mama’s Marvelous Minestrone.

The recipe was given to me many years ago by my dear friend Wendy. It’s fast and easy — the perfect thing for when temperatures begin to dip.

Full of healthful vegetables and clear broth, it has a wonderful flavor our family loves.

To print recipe, click here –> Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg beef smoked sausage
  • 1 onion
  • minced garlic
  • 3-4 zucchini
  • 3-4 carrots
  • 1 head of green cabbage, shredded
  • 8-10 cups beef stock (or water with boullion)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 can great northern beans
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Dice the onion coarsely.

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone Soup Recipe | www.flandersfamily.info

Slice sausage into very thin pieces (I sometimes use a food processor for this step) and saute with onion until onion is transparent.

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone - Saute Sausage

Add minced garlic and sliced zucchini.

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone | www.flandersfamily.info

Then add carrots.

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone | www.flandersfamily.info

Shred or chop cabbage finely, then add that to the mixture.

Mama's Marvelous Minestrone | www.flandersfamily.info

Saute a few minutes longer, then add beef stock and bring to a boil. Add seasonings and tomatoes, reduce heat, and simmer for at least an hour.

Minestrone Soup Recipe | www.flandersfamily.info

I usually put this soup on to cook during morning recess, then let it simmer while I read aloud to the children. Two chapters later, I add the great northern beans (final step) and dish it into bowls.

But Mama’s Marvelous Minestrone will be ready-to-eat even faster in a pressure cooker.

Yummy Minestrone

Hint: This recipe doubles easily and can also be frozen. Warm it in a crock-pot the second time around and serve with fresh bread or crackers for a truly fuss-free meal.

Love to cook? You can view a categorized list of my other recipe posts here: Our Favorite Recipes. Or — for even more Flanders family favorites, plus a wealth of ideas for making mealtime memorable — get a copy of my book Sit Down & Eat.

Sit Down & Eat

Want to revolutionize your meal planning? Then give freezer cooking a try! My kids and I took a class at our county extension office on how to do this. We brought our groceries along with us, and the instructor coached us through assembling the meals. It was a lot of fun to work together.

I realize not everybody has access to that kind of community educational offerings. But, thanks to the Internet, you can sign up for a FREE Freezer Cooking Class just like the one my family attended in person. The instructor provides a nice variety of delicious recipes (10 in total), a detailed shopping list, ready-to-print freezer labels, and step-by-step instruction on how to assemble everything in less than an hour.

Freezer Fit Class Sign Up

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