Hearty Italian Sausage and Escarole Crock Pot Soup

Ingredients

- 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
- 1 bunch escarole, roughly chopped
- 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup mirepoix (a pre-chopped mix of onions, celery, and carrots)
- 1/2 cup white wine

Instructions

1. Prepare the Ingredients: Begin by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the crumbled Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat and transfer the sausage to the crock pot.

2. Sauté the Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the onions, celery, carrots, and mirepoix mixture. Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes, or until they are softened and slightly translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

3. Deglaze with Wine: Pour the white wine into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the flavors. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Assemble the Soup in the Crock Pot: Transfer the sautéed vegetables and wine reduction to the crock pot with the sausage. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine.

5. Cook the Soup: Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

6. Add Pasta and Greens: About 30 minutes before the soup is done, add the ditalini pasta, escarole, and spinach to the crock pot. Stir to distribute evenly.

7. Finish with Parmesan: Once the pasta is tender and the greens are wilted, add the grated Parmesan cheese to the crock pot. Stir until the cheese has melted and the soup is creamy.

8. Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation Time: PT15M
15 minutes
- Cooking Time: PT6H
6 hours

Total Time

- Total Time: PT6H15M
6 hours 15 minutes

Type of Dish

- Dinner

Keywords

1. Italian sausage soup
2. Escarole soup
3. Crock Pot dinner
4. Hearty Italian recipe
5. Easy dinner meal
6. Slow cooker soup
7. Comfort food
8. Pasta soup
9. Vegetable soup
10. Savory dinner

Recipe Yield

- Feeds 4 adults

Calories

- Total Calories: 1,860

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