Sausage and Meatball Minestrone Soup Recipe

I love minestrone soup but the family loves meat. So a different version to the classic Italian Soup. It's loaded with meatballs and Italian sausage. Of course you can make it all vegetarian but this is a hearty soup with ditalini in it. Sure to warm you up on an blustery day!  Great coming home from work and using your slow cooker. Just brown the sausage the night before and put everything in the slow cooker for an easy one pot meal!

4 links of  Italian Sweet or Hot Sausage sliced  browned in olive oil
2 zucchini squash cubed
1 can light red kidney beans rinsed
1 can cannellini beans rinsed
1 cup cut green beans
1 cup shredded curly cabbage
1 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes cut up
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup carrots sliced
1 tablespoon or more to taste of granulated garlic powder, parsley, Italian seasoning
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 cup barley
6 cups chicken broth
water 
1 1/2 cups cooked ditalini (tube macaroni)
1/4 cup romano cheese more for garnish
Olive oil

Tiny meatballs Recipe:  In a small bowl add  1 cup ground hamburger seasoned with 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or fresh if you have it, salt, pepper,  fresh if you have it parsley, 3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon grated parmesan. Mix all together. Drop in hot boiling soup to cook.

Brown the sausage in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 5 quart saucepan. 
Add the chicken broth into the large 5 quart sauce pan.
Add the chopped whole tomatoes, zucchini, celery, carrots, cabbage, all the beans and seasonings. When it comes to a boil add the barley. Drop tiny 1 inch meatballs into the soup and let them cook. Simmer around 2 hours adding water to the pan around 3 cups. Stir in the cheese.
Stir in cooked macaroni.
Serve with additional grated cheese.
Note:For slow cooker just add the browned sausage and all ingredients right into the slow cooker. Cook till the vegetables are soft and cooked through 4 t0 6 hours on low.

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