Italian Sausage and Orzo Soup

  Lunch

This hearty and warming soup makes a comforting dinner. The herbs make the kitchen smell wonderful! You can use lower-calorie turkey sausage for the Italian sausage if you like. I recommend adding 2 teaspoons olive oil to the sausage while cooking to prevent sticking.

Italian Sausage and Orzo Soup

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TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. Cook: 25 min.
YIELD: 11 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 2 cartons (32 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

  • 1. In a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, cook the sausage, onion, carrot and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
  • 2. Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, seasonings and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Stir in orzo; cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle servings with cheese if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 144 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 811mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 11g protein.

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