Slow Cooker Zucchini e Fagioli Soup with Italian Sausage and Ground Beef
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Category
Main Dish
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Cusine
Italian
What do you need?
How to make?
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrots
one medium onion chopped small
1 T minced garlic
1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend
1 tsp. Spike Seasoning
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper flakes
1 can small red beans, rinsed in a colander and drained
7-8 cups beef broth
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
a few pieces of chopped Parmesan rind if you have them
1 1/2 cup chopped zucchini noodles
2 T balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Directions
Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan , add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook over medium-high heat until it’s nicely browned, breaking apart with a turner or potato masher while it cooks. When it’s browned well, put the meat into the slow cooker. Add the other teaspoon of oil to the frying pan, add the carrots and onions, and cook about 3 minutes. Then add the minced garlic, Italian Herb Seasoning , Spike Seasoning , ground fennel, and red pepper flakes and cook about 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the beef stock, petite diced tomatoes, and drained beans to the slow cooker, with some pieces of Parmesan rind if you’re lucky enough to have some. Cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 – 3 hours. When the soup has cooked about 3 hours, make zucchini noodles using the method you prefer. Then coarsely chop the noodles until you have 1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini Add zucchini to the soup and cook 30-45 minutes more, or until the zucchini is done to your liking. Remove the Parmesan rind if it hasn’t all dissolved. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season soup to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan to add at the table if desired.