Double Chickpea and Sausage Minestrone
recipe by Sidney Fry MS, RD | photography by Big Dreamz Creative
PACK IN PROTEIN Swap in chickpeabased pasta (a double chickpea-punch!) for traditional semolina-based, and you’ll double both the protein and fiber in each serving! Broth-based soups not only soothe the soul, but they also offer loads of electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Savory broth-based soups not only soothe the soul, but they also offer loads of electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Nutty chickpeas are an excellent source of fiber, folate and plant-based protein. Swap in chickpea-based pasta (a double chickpea punch!) for traditional semolina-based, and you’ll double both the protein and fiber in each serving! Don’t be intimidated by the large amount of antioxidant-packed garlic here; its flavors will mellow as the soup simmers. Turkey-based sausage tends to have less saturated fat and fewer calories, but sub in pork, venison or chicken sausage if you prefer. Be sure to soak up all those flavors with a crusty heel of whole grain bread!
SERVES 6-8
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (32-oz) carton reduced sodium
chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
4 ounces chickpea pasta (or other legume or whole-grainbased pasta)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring often until sausage starts to brown and crumble. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink. Add carrots, broth, tomatoes, basil, pepper and chickpeas. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Add zucchini and parsley; simmer 10 minutes. Add pasta; cook an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is done.
Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with cheese. Serve with crusty whole grain bread.
Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.