I made this yesterday for the first time - EXCELLENT!!!!! Based on reviews I read I did the following: 1) used three sweet sausages and two hot ones (which I first cooked in my George Foreman Grille) 2) used 2 cloves of garlic, used 2 more cups of broth*(chicken), 3) used two cans of stewed tomatoes, 4) used 1 pkg of frozen spinach -- not fresh 5) added 1/2 cup of raw orzo noodles, 6) added 1 cubed potato, 7)added 1 chopped onion, 8) did not use the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. *NOTE: for the extra broth I make my own by using Herb-Ox Granulated VERY LOW SODIUM - only 5 grams of sodium per teaspoon compared to ca. 800 grams in the regular kind - 26 servings per jar.

This is our family's favorite soup. We've made it a dozen times. Be sure to buy sausage without the MSG to avoid the headaches and allergic reations. I've made this substituting potatoes for beans, okra for zuchini, pintos for northern beans, adding rice, etc. It always turns out delicious and satisfying. Don't put the spinach in until the last few minutes so that it stays green and firmer. Frozen is great, but make sure it's chopped. The big, fat leaves don't work as well. This soup also freezes well. We had a pot of it last night that I had frozen two weeks ago.

I would give this recipe 6 stars if I could! I make it at least once a month, even in the Summertime. A few changes I've made over time: I add a chopped onion and double the garlic. I use HOT Italian sausage (do this if you like a little extra kick). I use 3 cans of beef broth, and make sure it is LOW SODIUM--I think this is crucial to the success of the recipe, because it is too salty with regular broth. Delete the 1/4 t salt altogether, unless you feel it needs it at the end. You can always add salt, but you can't take it away. I also add 1/2 C of small pasta, whatever I have on hand (macaroni works fine, or use something else to be more elaborate) at the end of the cooking time. If you'd like to do this, make sure you cook the pasta before adding the spinach. Karen--thank you for a recipe that has become a household staple for us!

Wow! Unbelievably good, even better than I thought it would be - a definite keeper and company-quality recipe. In fact, I think this is the best recipe I've gotten from this site. I added the browned sausage and the rest of the ingredients (plus an onion, a teaspoon of minced garlic - and red pepper instead of green) to the crockpot, and cooked it on low for 5 hours. I seasoned it with oregano, parsley, and rosemary. Then I stirred in a half cup or so cooked, drained ditalini before serving. Served with garlic bread, of course, just wonderful.

Excellent!! I don't have any idea what possessed me to make this soup. It is nothing that I would normally be drawn to. Well.. I love it!! Most soups that I make take hours to cook. Not this.. within the hour it was ready to eat and the house smelled wonderful. Changes that I made: I mixed both hot and mild sausage. Added onion and extra garlic when browning meat. Like others... I added additional can beef broth and tomatoe. I eliminated the zuccini and any additional salt. When I added the beans (which i never thought i'd like but they add a nice touch) I also added some very small pasta. The result... delish!!!! Can't wait to serve it to my guests tomorrow!!!

This is a fabulous recipe! I also use 1 extra can of broth and then add 1-2 cups of cooked pasta at the end. I have also added a couple stalks of chopped celery which is very tasty as well. Makes a great winter meal with toasted french bread and a glass of wine. Thanks for the fantastic recipe.

Nice, basic recipe for the humble but delicious Minestrone, with plenty of wiggle room for your own creativity or to use whatever vegetables are to your liking or what you have on hand. I made my own beef broth and along with the sausage I included the beef from the meaty bones I used. Added celery, onions and mushrooms with the carrots, along with some Tuscan seasoning. I used cannelini beans since I prefer them, and at the end threw in ditalini pasta (about 1 c. uncooked) which I had cooked ahead of time so the pasta wouldn't absorb too much of the broth. Instead of the canned tomatoes I used tomatoes I had put up from my garden. There really is no right or wrong when making Italian soups like this, and the fun thing about it is that it never turns out exactly the same way twice! Sometimes I like to add a glug of red wine, or maybe rice, or various shapes of soup pasta. I did use fresh spinach this time, but Swiss Chard or escarole are nice too! To truly be authentic, sprinkle each serving with good, freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese!

This soup was absolutely FABULOUS! It is honestly probably the best homemade soup I have ever had in my life. I chopped up an onion to cook with the garlic and sausage, as well as cheating and adding frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh the first time, and canned spinach the secong time. It was still absolutely wonderful both times, and very filling. GREAT!

Wow, this soup was really good. I used this chicken sicilian sausage from Trader joes and a large can of crushed tomatoes instead of the stewed. I also added a tblspn of italian seasoning. I can't wait to make this again!

I made it again last night, awsome. I added fresh mushrooms, cheese tortellini and an extra can of broth. Thanks Karen for a new household favorite.