Ingredients
1lbground Italian sausagespicy or mild
1tbspolive oildivided
1white onionmedium, diced
2carrotslarge, diced
3celery stalksdiced
2bell peppersdiced
5garlic clovespeeled and minced
½cupdry redor white wine
4cupschicken stock
30oztomato sauce
15oztomatoesdiced
1tbspItalian Seasoning
1tspred pepper flakesor more to taste
16ozgnocchi
2fresh baby spinachor roughly-chopped kale
Parmesan cheesefreshly-grated, optional topping
fresh parsleyfinely-chopped, optional topping
basiloptional topping
Preparation
Brown the sausage in a large stockpot over medium-high heat crumbling it with a spoon as you g until it is cooked through.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a separate plate, leaving behind about 1 to 2 tablespoons of grease in the pot. Remove any excess grease, or add a little bit of olive oil if there is not enough remaining.
Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, and sauté for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the wine, and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot. Add in the chicken stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and stir to combine.
Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.
Add in the cooked sausage, gnocchi, and spinach or kale, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the gnocchi begins to float and is cooked through.
Taste and season with salt and pepper and/or extra crushed red pepper flakes as needed.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with your desired toppings.
