Auntie Laurel's Comfort Soup (Italian Vegetable Soup)

Remember that recipe book I received when I got married?  The one that has Auntie Pearl’s sweet and sour chicken in it?  Well, it also includes Robbie’s Auntie Laurel’s comfort soup!  The ingredients are simple and it is quick and easy to make.  I whipped up a batch earlier this week.  My six-year-old daughter usually hates zucchini, but she devoured it in this soup and asked for more.

I’ve tried to stay as close to Auntie Laurel's original recipe as possible, but had to make a few minor changes to match some of our Near to Nothing principles:  bulk sausage instead of links, garbanzo beans that I cooked from dried beans instead of canned beans, and beef bouillon to replace canned broth.

I have also developed my own meatless version which I will share in the near future.

Auntie Laurel’s Comfort Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage

1 medium onion, diced

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

1½ c. garbanzo beans, drained

4 c. water

1 Tbsp. beef bouillon

2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into bite-sized slices

½ tsp. dried basil

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage and onions in 5-quart pot until sausage is browned.  Drain off fat.

Stir in tomatoes, beans, water, bouillon, zucchini, and basil.

This is my 3-qt pot.  I definitely recommend
using a 5-qt.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.  Serve with Parmesan cheese.  Yield:  3 quarts.