1 yellow onion, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 ribs celery, sliced
2 carrots, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 pkg. turkey or beef kielbasa (halve, then slice lengthwise, then slice into bite-size pieces)
2 cartons chicken broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes (don’t drain)
1 can white kidney beans (or great northern)
fresh Italian parsley, chopped (optional)
few dashes of hot sauce (I like Frank’s), added to the pot or served on the side according to taste
freshly grated black pepper, kosher salt to taste
Grated cheddar cheese
In a soup pot, saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots and green pepper in small amount of olive oil until almost tender. Add zucchini and kielbasa and cook until mixture melds together and is fragrant. Add broth, tomatoes, and beans. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in parsley if using. Serve with hot sauce and grated cheese. Add crusty bread, and you’re gonna be happy!
To speed things up or if you don’t have all the fresh veggies on hand, saute onion, garlic and celery, add the kielbasa, then replace the other veggies with a bag or two of frozen mixed veggies. Add them with the broth. This recipe could be done many different ways according to what you like and have on hand. Try adding uncooked pasta toward the end of simmering time; it’s a great addition.