Alright, you may have read that recipe name and thought that “summer” and “soup” do not belong together… but I am out to change your mind. This delicious soup is packed with fresh veggies and savory Italian sausage, and it simmers away in a slow cooker so you don’t have to stand over a hot stove all evening. Prep it all in the cool morning hours and you’ll have a delicious dinner ready to go later in the day (when it’s hot a heck!). Can’t beat that.
Start by browning two pounds of ground Italian sausage (hot or mild is up to you) in a large skillet over medium heat. Break the sausage into small pieces and cook until mostly browned. Remember, it will finish cooking in the slow cooker, so don’t worry if it’s not entirely cooked through at this stage. Drain off any excess grease then add it to a large slow cooker.
Next, it’s time to prep your veggies. Chop up two carrots, two stalks of celery, one white onion, a bell pepper, and two to three small zucchinis. So many great fresh veggies! A can of diced tomatoes and cannellini beans are then added for an extra boost of flavor and protein. We’re aiming for a well balanced meal in one dish.
Pour in four cups of chicken or vegetable broth and season the soup generously. Stir everything together then cover and set your crockpot to high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Now step back and let all those tasty flavors cook together while you go about your day. When your Italian Summer Soup is ready, serve it hot with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a few extra red pepper flakes for added heat. Take advantage of all the fresh summer veggies and give this easy recipe a try!
Slow Cooker Italian Summer Soup
Yield(s): Serves 8-10
15m prep time
4h cook time
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground Italian sausage
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2-3 small zucchinis, diced
- 1 (15.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese for serving
Preparation
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Break sausage into small pieces and cook until mostly browned (it will continue to cook in the crockpot). Drain off excess grease.
- Add sausage, vegetables, seasoning, and broth to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cover and set slow cooker to high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Serve hot with parmesan and extra red pepper flakes.
