Sausage and Broccoli Stew

I had no dinner plan but I did have some pantry staples and some Italian sausage. The hearty soups at Olive Garden inspired me to make this, and it turned out to be remarkably tasty!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (any grade/quality will do, no need to splurge on EVOO)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed (hot or sweet or a combo of both, as you like it)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1 carton chicken broth (32 oz)
• 8 oz finely chopped broccoli
• 12 oz soup pasta (ditalini, small shells or elbows, rotini, whatever you have/like)
• 4 oz grated parmesan or pecorino (the good stuff, not from a can)

Directions

Heat oil in a large heavy dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat until the oil just starts to shimmer. Add onion, celery, and carrots with a heavy pinch of kosher salt and the pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are just al dente. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add the sausage. Cook, stirring constantly and breaking/mixing up the sausage with the veggies, until the sausage does not look raw. Add the dried herbs, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook for one more minute and add diced tomatoes (with their juice) and the broth. Increase to high and bring to a simmer. Add broccoli and pasta and let it come back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until the pasta is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes (it will thicken as the pasta cooks, so make sure to stir the bottom of the pot to prevent burns). Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, topping with parmesan at the table.