This past week felt like a clear shift into real fall weather with crisp mornings and cool evenings. Some people are excited for sweater weather, but I’m excited for Soup Weather!

I used to be really intimidated by soups, and all I ever made was chili. I first branched out to taco chili, but as I’ve learned more about cooking, I kind of love soup. A general theme in my cooking is flexibility because frankly, I can’t stand recipes, and soups are probably the most flexible recipes there are. You can make them richer, or spicier, or thicker very easily, and you can add and subtract ingredients to suit your tastes or supplies. Plus, who doesn’t love a one-pot meal?!

This recipe is adapted from a HelloFresh meal we used to get on occassion (Side Note: we now use EveryPlate because it’s notably cheaper). It’s hearty and filling without being heavy like a chili or cream based soup can be. It’s a hit with the whole family, allergy friendly, and tastes absolutely fantastic on a crisp fall evening.

The Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian Sausage or Pork Sausage
• 1 lb carrots, diced
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced
• 12 oz bow-tie pasta (or other preferred pasta)
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 4-6 cups Water
• Italian Seasoning (approx. 2 tbsp)
• Red Chili Flakes (optional, to taste)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Olive Oil

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add carrots and onion and cook until softened.
2. Add Sausage and brown.
3. Add garlic and tomatoes and season generously with Italian Seasoning. Add salt and pepper and chili flakes to taste. Cook until tomatoes are slightly softened.
4. Add Chicken Broth and Water and bring to a boil.
5. Add pasta and simmer until it’s done.
6. Taste and add seasoning as needed.

• 

• 

• 

Serving Suggestions and Recipe Adjustments

This is good on it’s own but especially delicious topped with a little parmesan cheese or served with garlic toast. For the kids, we do add oyster crackers (even though it already has pasta) because 1) they love them, and 2) it makes it a little bit thicker and less messy.

If you want more veggies, you can stir in something green and leafy toward the end. If you want more heat, use chili flakes and a spicier sausage. For milder tastes, a mild pork sausage is also really good. You can change it up with different pasta options as well. As I noted, this is a really flexible recipe. I also always keep some kind of boullion on hand for adding more flavor if needed (Side Note: this is one staple ingredient I had trouble finding a safe version of for Dominic’s allergies, but Vegetable Better than Boullion is dairy free, and always in our fridge).

If you’re looking for a fresh new fall recipe, give it a try and let me know what you think!