The addition of smoked sausage and pasta to Trader Joe’s Garden Vegetable Soup results in a hearty, satisfying minestrone-style soup that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes.
When I really need to get dinner on the table in a hurry, Trader Joe’s is my go-to kitchen shortcut, whether I’m serving their delicious entrees as is, or using them to create quick meals like this Easy Garden Vegetable Sausage Minestrone Soup.
My friend Katie recently posted her version of this quick and easy dinner on her Facebook page, and with her permission, I made a few tweaks before sharing it here.
Really, I didn’t change much, except that I simplified the process just a bit, so it only uses one pot. Because what’s the point of a quick dinner recipe if the clean-up isn’t quick too?
Normally, plain vegetable soup isn’t something the rest of my family would be to excited about, but I knew if I added some protein and carbs to this already flavorful veggie soup, they’d all love it.
And I was not wrong.
I sautéed my smoked sausage in the pot before adding the soup, which gave it some extra flavor. But besides that, I really didn’t add any additional seasonings–the soup is just that flavorful already.
I also added additional water to the mix, just so the pasta had something to absorb while it cooked. And that’s it! Easy peasy.
You can use whatever kind of smoked sausage you have on hand–mine was beef smoked sausage–just make sure you start with something that’s already fully cooked.
Any tiny pasta will work in this soup. I usually use orzo, but ditalini, pastini or miniature shells are also great additions.
This Easy Garden Vegetable Sausage Minestrone Soup is the perfect comfort food recipe for busy weeknights, and with the help of Trader Joe’s, it’s on the table in no time.
Be sure to save this recipe for Easy Garden Vegetable Sausage Minestrone Soup to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Easy Garden Vegetable Sausage Minestrone Soup (Trader Joe’s Recipe)
- Olive oil
- Smoked sausage
- Trader Joe’s Garden Vegetable Soup
- Orzo or other tiny pasta
Easy Garden Vegetable Sausage Minestrone Soup (Trader Joe’s Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 12 ounces fully cooked smoked sausage
- 2 jars Trader Joe’s Garden Vegetable Soup plus 1 jar of water
- 1 cup orzo or other tiny pasta
Equipment
- Soup Bowls
- Wooden Spoons
- Olive Oil Dispenser
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Slice the sausage and cut each slice in half to form half-circles.
- Add the sausage to the pot and sauté until browned. Pour both jars of soup into the pot. Fill an empty jar with water and add that to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and add the orzo. Reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 15 minutes.
Video
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: My friend Katie.
