Taste of Home Minestrone with Italian Sausage

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek (white portion only), chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 cups beef broth
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta shells
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pan, boil sausage for five minutes; drain. In a soup kettle, cook sausage and onion over low medium heat until onion is cooked. Stir in carrots, celery, leek and garlic; cook three to five minutes. Add zucchini and green beans; cook two to five minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer at least 45 minutes. I prefer to let it simmer a couple of hours. Stir in garbanzo beans and pasta; bring to a boil again. Cook for six to ten minutes until the pasta is tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Yields: 11 servings or about three quarts. Serving size is 1 cup.

Number of Servings: 11

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user THEADMIRAL.