Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup

I haven't made soup since January when we started low carbing.  I mean what is soup without potatoes or beans or cornbread to go along with it, you know?  We've been craving soup, so today was the day!

I didn't add potatoes or kidney beans (both would work perfectly in this soup though) and no cornbread was had, but wow this was a delicious bowl of soup.

2 T. olive oil

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 ribs celery, thinly sliced

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 medium zucchini, quartered and then sliced

2 t. minced garlic

2 t. dried Italian seasoning

28 oz. can petite dice tomatoes with juice

4 cups chicken stock

1 t. salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t. dried red pepper flakes (optional)

2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves, stems removed

Pour olive oil into a 5 quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, stirring frequently.  

Toss in the onions, bell pepper, celery, carrots, and zucchini and stir well to combine with the sausage.  Stir frequently and let cook 5 - 7 minutes.  Add garlic and seasoning and let cook another minute or so.  

Stir in tomatoes and chicken stock along with the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you're using those.  Bring the soup to a gentle boil and then lower heat so the soup is at a simmer.

Let cook 20 - 25 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender.  Taste and add salt and/or pepper if needed.  

Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach.  Wait 5 minutes, stir again, and you're ready to ladle into bowls.

If you'd like, top with grated Parmesan as shown below.

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