Slow Cooker Italian Pork and Vegetable Soup
This is a soup I pulled together for a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon I planned at my girl's preschool. I wanted to make something like a Minestrone but Whole30 approved, especially since one of the sweet teachers had a limited diet due to Crohn's, something close to our hearts because one of beautiful nieces has that terrible disease. The soup was enjoyed by all and most were shocked you can eat food that tasted so good on the Whole 30. There is such a misconception about healthy eating, that is tastes terrible, bland, and boring, it makes me push harder for delicious food for everyone to enjoy and still feel good!
Soup in general is perfect to meal prep and freeze for those nights you had zero desire to cook and clean, so make a pot and have dinner that night, and freeze the rest in individual portions for quick lunches or large portion for the whole family to enjoy for dinner
I recently went back and updated the recipe to be a little more clear and take better pictures because man that first picture was HORRIBLE! It deserved to be touched up because this is a fantastic recipe that everyone loves.
Whole 30 Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup
1 lb ground pork (exclude or use plant based crumbles for vegan)
1 Tablespoon Sausage Seasoning
3 cups (about 2 large) zucchini, large chunks
1 1/2 cups (about 2 medium) yellow squash, large chunks
1 1/2 cups (1 large) white onion, diced
2 cups (5 medium) carrots, sliced
1 1/2 cups (2 small) sweet potato, large chunks
3 cups (2 large) potatoes, large chunks
12 oz pound green beans, into 1” pieces
2 cups (5 stalks) celery, sliced
28oz can petit diced tomatoes
1 can V-8
6 cups broth of choice
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
- Spray a skillet with avocado oil and heat on medium high. Cook the pork and season with the sausage seasoning mix
- Add to a large crockpot and put in the vegetables. At this point you can put into the fridge until you are ready to cook it
- Pour the liquids, sprinkle the spices and stir to combine. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7, check to see if the potatoes are soft. Season to taste and enjoy
Just look at all those veggies that are headed for this soup!
Cook the pork and season with my go-to Sausage Seasoning mix, it is seriously a pantry staple.
I got chippity choppin and there are all the vegetables. Just drop them into the slow cooker! As you can see, I got a little fancy and had a purple sweet potato in the crowd for a splash of color!
Mix it up!
Add the cooked pork and then you mix up the seasonings, pop that can of V-8 (shhh it’s my secret weapon) and the diced tomatoes.
Get all those friends in one Jacuzzi, the broth is whatever you like or have on hand. I have made it with chicken and beef broth.
Get the top on and get it cooking. I did a combination of LOW and High, a few hours at low and then finished it on high for a couple hours. I was chasing daylight, it gets dark here at 4pm and we are in the South! I cannot even imagine how early it gets dark in the north…
