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Tree House Salad, With Sweet and Sour Dressing

By 33 Comments

Tree House Salad. A hearts of palm salad with simple fresh ingredients topped with one of the best sweet and sour dressings you’ll ever taste. Hearts of Palm, blue cheese and a mixture of crunchy seeds and nuts, the texture alone will hook you. This is a tossed salad recipe you’ll find yourself making over and over again.

Tree House Salad. Tossed green salad with hearts of palm, craisins, blue cheese and sweet and sour dressing

Like black shoes, I truly don’t think one can have enough tossed salad recipes.

Think about those black shoes, you need a pair for boot cut pants, your skinny jeans, wide cut capris, skinny capris, your pencil skirt, your black suit, your perfect little black dress …. your white jeans. You get the picture.

Same with tossed salads. You need one for burgers, for steaks, for braised chicken, for fried chicken, for lamb, for seafood …

Tossed salad with hearts of palm, dried cranberries, blue cheese dressing served in a World Market rustic black bowl.

For some reason this recipe for hearts of palm salad, which carries the name of Tree House Salad, has always been my go to salad to serve with hamburgers.

It seems a perfect flavor combo for a side dish for a juicy grilled burger.

Inspiration for Tree House Salad

My friend Linda gave me this tossed salad recipe a couple of years ago. We were invited to their house for a Summer evening dinner.

With simple ingredients topped with a sweet and sour dressing, in my books you’ve got a winner.

I wasn’t sure where the name came from so before starting this post, I Googled the title.

I was directed to  Treehouse Restaurant in Atlanta, but their Treehouse Salad didn’t resemble Linda’s at all. With all that said, here’s the recipe she gave me and it’s been a favorite ever since.

Tossed green salad with artichoke hearts, craisins, blue cheese, almonds and sweet and sour dressing.

Recipe for Hearts of Palm Salad (Tree House Salad)

I mean really, does it get any easier than this? Greens, sugared almonds, sunflower seeds, dried and dried cranberries. Top with a sprinkling of crumbled blue cheese, some hearts of palm and dig in.

I hope you give this hearts of palm salad a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a recipe using hearts of palm salad, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

And if you love tossed salads as much as we do, and you want to become a salad expert, don’t miss my post for the 9-Secrets to A Remarkable Tossed Salad.

And if you’re looking for even more salad recipes, don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find the most popular salad recipe on my site for Louisiana Sunburst Salad.

Tree House Salad. Tossed green salad with hearts of palm, craisins, blue cheese and sweet and sour dressing
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Tree House Salad

A simple salad, big with flavor with the most delicious sweet and tangy dressing you'll ever taste.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Course: Salads, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 567kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 4 cups red leaf lettuce
  • ¼ cup blue cheese crumbled
  • 1 can hearts of palm drained and sliced

Instructions

  • In a small heavy skillet, melt butter. Add almonds and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Add sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until sugar is melted. Spread on foil to cool.
  • Mix first 6 ingredients for dressing (that’s through salt and pepper).
  • Assemble salad with remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 2225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg

Wine Pairing for A Tossed Salad and Burger

We enjoyed and paired this Tree House Salad and grilled burger with a truly lovely Colorado wine. Perfect summer food if you ask me.

Holly cross Abbey Sauv Blanc. This wine is exactly what I look for in a crisp white wine. I totally agree with the description from their site and we loved it. ” A blend of 50% barrel fermented sur-lie (aged on the lees) and 50% stainless steel fermented and aged.  Full hints of oak, grass and melon in the nose, followed by a creamy smoothness that glides across the palate.” 

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey (from their website)

Several years ago, some simple Benedictine Fathers had a dream…a dream of a fine winery located on the grounds of the historic Holy Cross Abbey in Canon City, Colorado.

Today, that dream is a reality and the staff at the winery invites you to share in the vision of those dynamic and innovative monks.  Since 2002, The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey has been attracting visitors from all over the world.

Located on the pastoral and serene grounds of the Holy Cross Abbey, nestled against the spectacular backdrop of the Wet Mountains, the winery and tasting room are shining examples of what draws visitors to Canon City and Fremont County.

Canon City is about a two-hour drive Southwest of Denver. We must make time for a day trip to the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey and a picnic at the famous Royal Gorge.  Sounds like a perfect day.

Hearts of Palm Salad and a burger .. It’s What’s for a Summer Dinner

Balsamic Reduction Sauce, (Balsamic Glaze) Recipe

By 38 Comments

A delicious and easy recipe for balsamic reduction sauce. Just like you’d find drizzled over your favorite steak or vegetable in an elegant restaurant. This recipe uses brown sugar and soy sauce to uniquely season the balsamic vinegar to make the best balsamic glaze.

Sauteed asparagus drizzled with balsamic reduction sauce.

What is Balsamic Glaze?

Balsamic Glaze, also called “balsamic reduction” is simply a reduction of Balsamic Vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is simmered stove top until it has reduced down and thickened to a maple syrup consistency. Reducing balsamic vinegar makes it darker in color and intensified in flavor.

About This Recipe

A few years ago at a highly acclaimed Denver restaurant, I ordered Beef Tagliata, an Italian Steak, which was drizzled with a wonderfully rich balsamic glaze. 

One bite and I was inquiring with the waitress about the glaze. She explained that it was not simply a pure balsamic reduction sauce, but a balsamic reduction which included the ingredients of brown sugar and soy sauce to season the vinegar.

It was so delicious, the very next day I went to work in my kitchen to recreate the process.

Making this balsamic glaze recipe or balsamic reduction is easy, I promise! It’s a simple one saucepan project that takes about 20 minutes to complete stovetop.

With just three ingredients, you can have your own little squeeze bottle of this black gold in your refrigerator. And once you learn how to make balsamic reduction, you’ll be drizzling it over everything.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make balsamic reduction sauce (Balsamic Glaze)
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Brown Sugar, Dark or light.
  • Soy Sauce

Ingredient Substitutions

Brown Sugar: You can make balsamic reduction with honey or maple syrup.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

This recipe makes about ½ cup of Balsamic Glaze. You can double the recipe if you’d like, and increase the cook time to 30 minutes. Here’s how to reduce balsamic vinegar:

How to make balsamic reduction sauce (balsamic glaze)
  • Step 1: Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool.
Do I Need To Buy Expensive Balsamic Vinegar?

No. To make Balsamic Glaze, I buy the big bottle of balsamic vinegar from Costco. Or look for a moderately priced balsamic vinegar at the grocery store.

Does Balsamic Vinegar Go Bad?

If you’re worried about buying that large bottle from Costco, not to worry, stored in a cool dark place, balsamic vinegar will last up to five years.

Tips for Success

  • The more you let the vinegar reduce, the thicker it will be, however, keep a close eye on the vinegar as it nears the end of its cooking time. If you over cook it, it will take on a “burnt” flavor and you’ll have to start over. I’ve never reduced it more than the 20 minute recommended time.
  • Let it come to room temperature before trying to drizzle it.
  • The balsamic glaze will thicken even more as it cools.
  • If the balsamic glaze ends up too thick, add a little water and reheat slowly stovetop.
  • You can make a pure balsamic glaze (no soy sauce or brown sugar) just by simmering one cup of balsamic vinegar on low for about 30 minutes or until the vinegar has reduced by about half and thickened. 

What To Serve With Balsamic Reduction Sauce

Grilled Chicken Skewers drizzled with Balsamic Glaze.
  • Our favorite and most traditional way to use Balsamic Reduction is to drizzle it over Beef Tagliata. An Italian steak recipe. And over simple seasoned grilled chicken kabobs as shown above. All you need is a simple green salad for a side.
  • We’re very proud of our Palisade Peaches here in Colorado. Simply drizzle a small amount over fresh sliced peaches. Or this Grilled Peach Salad with Arugula and Goat Cheese.
  • It’s perfect to drizzle over Caprese Salad.
  • Serve it on grilled chicken .
  • We love it over steamed or sauteed asparagus or Brussels sprouts.
Pan seared pork chops with balsamic glaze and peach salsa.

Or use this balsamic glaze to base pork chops during the grilling process. It makes a beautifully caramelized crust. Top with my Chipotle Peach Salsa Recipe and you’ve got an easy Summery meal.

Storage

  • Store Balsamic Glaze in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator. That way it’s ready to drizzle whenever you’re read to use it. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. It’s good on chicken, fish, pork, beef, parmesan cheese, strawberries, ice cream, cheese and more!

Recipe for Balsamic Reduction Sauce

Homemade Balsamic Glaze with Asparagus.

Balsamic glaze may just be the best condiment ever. It’s sweet and tangy flavor goes will with both sweet and savory items. It’s great on vegetables, meat, cheese and even fruit.

Looking to lose the preservatives in store purchased condiments and make more sauces in your own kitchen? Take a look:

And don’t miss the most popular homemade salad dressing on my site for Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing. It’s so good, it’s gone viral.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Sauteed asparagus drizzled with balsamic reduction sauce.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Balsamic Reduction Sauce (Balsamic Glaze)

A delicious and easy Balsamic Reduction sauce. Just like you'd find drizzled over an elegant meal in a restaurant. This recipe uses brown sugar and soy sauce to uniquely flavor the balsamic vinegar.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Calories: 146kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar doesn't have to be expensive brand
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

  • Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Stir often so the vinegar doesn't burn. Remove from heat and let cool.

Notes

Tips for Success: 
  • The more you let it reduce, the thicker it will be, however, keep a close eye on the vinegar as it nears the end of its cooking time. If you over cook it, it will take on a “burnt” flavor and you’ll have to start over. I’ve never reduced it more than the 20 minute recommended time.
  • Let it come to room temperature before trying to drizzle it.
  • The balsamic glaze will thicken even more as it cools.
  • If the balsamic glaze ends up too thick, add a little water and reheat slowly stovetop.
  • You can make a pure balsamic glaze (no soy sauce or brown sugar) just by simmering one cup of balsamic vinegar on low for about 30 minutes or until the vinegar has reduced by about half and thickened. 

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 561mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1285IU | Vitamin C: 9.5mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Balsamic Glaze Recipe …It’s What’s for Making Dinner Special.

This Balsamic Reduction Recipe was first published in April of 2011 and updated with better photos and step by step instructions, June 2023.

Jalapeno Steak Sauce Burgers

By 40 Comments

These Steak Sauce Burgers are a must have recipe for your Summer Cookouts.  A little heat from diced jalapeno and a savory kick from A-1 steak sauce is a wonderful combo of flavors for an exciting burger.

Jalapeno steak sauce burger on a sesame seed bun with american cheese, lettuce and tomato.

We’ve always been A-1 Steak Sauce fans, so to pour a couple of tablespoons into ground beef was an easy request for us. This recipe comes from a co-worker … her husband’s favorite burger recipe.

A-1 steak sauce adds a tangy savory note to ground beef, and diced jalapeno pepper and onion make this one legendary burger.

You can most certainly enjoy these steak sauce burgers as is, but don’t hesitate to top it with some lettuce, a slice of white cheddar American Cheese, and even a lovely slice of fresh garden tomato.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make A-1 Steak sauce burger.
  • Hamburger Buns: Any burger buns will do. I chose Sesame buns for this A-1 Steak Sauce Burger recipe.
  • Ground Beef: For burgers, I always choose an 80-20% blend. That bit of fat makes a juicy and flavorful burger.
  • Steak Sauce: A-1 is used for this recipe, but if you have a favorite brand, by all means use it.
  • Jalapeno Pepper: I have deseeded and deveined the jalapeno pepper for this recipe. That’s where the heat lies, therefore the pepper won’t be as spicy hot. If you’re brave, leave the seeds and veins in and chop. I always have a jar of homemade Pickled Jalapenos in the fridge. They also work well for this recipe.
  • Sweet Onion: Use a sweet or yellow onion.

Step by Step Instructions

Adding chopped onion, jalapeno pepper and A-1 steak sauce to ground beef to make steak sauce burgers.
  1. Step 1: Add diced jalapeno pepper, diced onion and A-1 Steak Sauce to ground beef. Using your hands, just as you would to make meatloaf, mix the ingredients until well blended.
How to make burger patties for A-1 steak sauce burgers.
  1. Step 2: Whenever adding chopped ingredients to burger patties, I like to shape them into large meatballs. This process will help the chopped ingredients to meld with the beef and become a part of the burger patty. Divide the burger mixture into three equal parts. I like to use a scale to weigh them so they’re somewhat even. Then roll them just like you’d do to make meatballs. Once you have your three giant meatballs, place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

I like to make 3 patties from 1 pound of beef. However, you can also make 4 – ¼ pound patties with this recipe to serve 4 people.

Three A-1 Steak Sauce Burger Patties.
  1. Step 3: When ready to cook, use a spatula to gently flatten those meatballs into patties. Grill at 400 degrees for about 5 – 6 minutes per side or until a digital read thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Tips For Success

  • Make sure you dice those vegetables as small as you can. We referred to this as find dice in Culinary School. Larger chunks of veggies can make these steak sauce burgers a little looser and tend to fall apart.
  • When turning the burger patties on the grill, do so gently so they don’t fall apart. This is not a tight-meat burger patty. But once cooked the end result is juicy and delish.

What To Serve With Steak Sauce Burgers

Side dishes for burgers are always an easy choice. Consider serving this burger with Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese, or more traditional side dishes like:

Recipe for Jalapeno Steak Sauce Burgers

I hope you give these Steak Sauce Burgers a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

Bob actually thought this might be his favorite burger recipe so far. Me? You could mix ground beef with sawdust and I’d love it …I just flat-out love any grilled burger.

More Great Burger Recipes

And the most popular burger post on my site, a round up of 31 of the Best Burger Recipes for Father’s Day. And if you’re beef lovers like us, don’t miss my category for Beef Recipes. You’ll find lots of great grilling ideas, including the most popular on my site for Beef Tagliata. A super easy Italian steak recipe.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Steak Sauce Burgers.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Jalapeno A-1 Steak Sauce Burgers

A great way to kick up your Summer Grilled Burgers with this jalapeno peppers, diced onion and A-1 Steak Sauce. These steak sauce burgers are ones you'll love.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course Beef
Cuisine: American
Servings: 3
Calories: 406kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup jalapeno pepper deseeded, deveined and fine chopped
  • ¼ cup sweet onion fine diced
  • 3 tablespoons A-1 Steak Sauce
  • 1 pound ground beef 80/20 blend
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Garnish: American cheese, tomato, green leaf lettuce, mustard

Instructions

  • In a bowl, add ground beef, A-1 steak sauce, chopped onion and jalapeno pepper.
  • Using your hands, just like you would making meatloaf, gently combine ingredients until well mixed.
  • Once mixed, divide ground beef evenly to make 3 or 4 burger patties. I like to make ⅓ pound burgers, but you can also make ¼ pounders.
  • Just like making meatballs, roll the meat portions into large meatballs. Roll them about 30 rolls using your palm of your hands. The mixture should be well formed into large meatballs.
  • Place the ground beef in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will help the beef mix flavors, blend and form well.
  • Use a spatula to press the meatballs into burger patties.
  • Heat grill to 500 degrees. Turn heat down and when it reaches 350-400 degrees place burgers on the hot grill. Grill 5 – 6 minutes per side. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure burgers are cooked to an internal temperature of 125 degrees.
  • Garnish with American Cheese, tomato, green leafed lettuce and yellow mustard. Or use garnishes that work well for you. Make it your own.

Notes

Tips for Success:
  • Make sure you dice those vegetables as small as you can. We referred to this as find dice in Culinary School. Larger chunks of veggies can make that burger a little looser and it can tend to fall apart.
  • I like to make 3 patties from 1 pound of beef. However, you can also make 4 – ¼ pound patties with this recipe to serve 4 people.
  • When turning the burger patties on the grill, do so gently so they don’t fall apart. This is not a tight-meat burger patty. But once cooked the end result is juicy and delish.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 3mg

Jalapeno Steak Sauce Burgers … It’s What’s For Dinner.

Southwestern Dry Salmon Rub for Grilled Salmon

By 57 Comments

This Southwestern salmon rub recipe is a little bit spicy, a little bit smoky and a whole lot good. Salmon is rubbed with love, grilled and then topped with a delightful Cilantro Lime Butter. This just might become your favorite Summer salmon rub recipe.

salmon rubbed with spices served over green beans

We love the results of grilled food, both from our gas and charcoal Webers. And think the aroma of a steak or burger wafting from those hot grates is about the best smell ever.

But have to admit I’m not a fan of the task of grilling. I’d much rather be in the air-conditioned kitchen chopping, dicing, fussing, sautéing, stirring, simmering, stewing, and braising, or sitting in the shade in my lawn chair with my glass of wine, watching someone else grill. ::::shrug

So with all that said, I’m so very excited to announce that we now have a griller in the house.

Bob received a gift of a certificate to a cooking class and what he came home with was a salmon rub that simply WOW’d the crowd. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients to make Salmon Rub

First of all, take a look at the line-up of ingredients for this impressive and rich-colored blend of spices for the salmon rub.  The aroma was intoxicating.

  • Chili Powder
  • Paprika
  • Smoked Paprika
  • New Mexico Red Chile Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Cumin
  • Black Pepper

Yes please.

Pat salmon filets dry, slather in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, sprinkle on rub and rub into salmon.  Shake off the excess rub and grill to desired doneness.

For the grand finale, dollop each salmon fillet with Cilantro Lime Butter.

Cilantro Lime Butter for Spice Rubbed Salmon

It’s easy to make. Softened butter mixed with cilantro, parsley, honey, lime and salt and pepper. = DIVINE.

Spice Rubbed Salmon with Cilantro Lime Butter.

This is a photo after that wonderful Cilantro-Lime Butter oozed itself over and into the salmon. This salmon was perfectly cooked, juicy, tender and crazy with flavor. Hands down some of the best salmon I’ve ever had. 

An impressive outcome for Bob’s first grilling project, especially since the wind was blowing a gale and it was cold out there and fish can be tricky to start with.

Look at this guy, one class and he’s a better chopper than I’ve ever been.

Recipe for Salmon Rub for Grilled Salmon with Cilantro Lime Butter

I hope you give this salmon rub recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. 

And if you have a favorite recipe for spice rubbed salmon, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

And if you’re looking for more super fast seafood dinner ideas, you won’t want to miss this broiled halibut recipe, Heavenly Halibut. 

salmon rubbed with spices served over green beans
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Salmon Rub for Grilled Salmon with Cilantro Lime Butter

This spice rubbed salmon recipe is a little bit spicy, a little bit smoky and a whole lot good. Rubbed with love and topped with a delightful Cilantro Lime Butter, this just might become your favorite grilled salmon recipe. So perfect for a quick dinner that packs a lot of flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course Seafood
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 160kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 4 Salmon Fillets
  • For The Salmon Rub
  • 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
  • 2 Tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon New Mexico Chile Powder or Cayenne, or Ancho
  • 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
  • For the Cilantro Lime Butter
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons Cilantro chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Italian Parsley chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey
  • ½ Lime juiced
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the spice rub. Set aside.
  • Bring butter to room temperature.
  • In a bowl, mix all ingredients for the Cilantro Lime Butter. Set aside.
  • Sprinkle the spice mix over the salmon fillets and gently rub into the meat. Shake the excess rub off the salmon fillets.
  • Light a grill and preheat to 500 degrees. Turn heat down to 350 degrees. Place salmon fillets on grill. Cook 12 – 15 minutes or until salmon is just starting to flake.
  • Serve immediately and top each salmon fillet with a dollop of the cilantro lime butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4470IU | Vitamin C: 5.1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Salmon Rub for Grilled Salmon with Cilantro-Lime Butter…It’s What’s for Dinner.

Italian Sausage Soup With Pasta Shells, Zuppa Salsiccia

By 40 Comments

This is a recipe for Italian Sausage Soup with Pasta. With lots of red wine, tomatoes and jumbo pasta shells. Simple with ingredients, easy to make, this is a beautiful sausage soup recipe that will become a favorite.

Zuppa Salsiccia simply translates to Sausage Soup, which seems like such a modest description for this incredibly flavorful dish.  

We flat out love this Italian Sausage Soup and I make it often. It’s a fun soup for entertaining since it gets such rave reviews.

This soup, hands down, is our favorite in my database. I’ve had this recipe for many years and every time we make it we comment about why we don’t have it more often. 

Alongside a beautiful green salad dressed with your favorite vinaigrette and a chunk of crusty bread, this is elegant enough to serve as a main course at a dinner party.

An easy fix, the hardest part is giving up a cup and a half of good drinking red wine to simmer in the broth. I never use wine in soup that I wouldn’t drink.

My recommendation would be this well priced Cabernet, Columbia Crest – H3 from Washington State.

The combination of both sweet and hot Italian sausage which has  long simmered in beef stock, red wine and tomatoes, seasoned with green bell pepper, garlic, onion and basil makes for an incredibly flavorful treat. 

Ladling it over some al dente large shell pasta and topping with it with some shredded Parmesan cheese finishes this delicious Italian Sausage soup.  You really must give this one a try.

Recipe for Italian Sausage Soup, Zuppa Salsiccia

Easy Italian Soup Recipe that will knock your socks off. With red wine and pasta shells, this is a great dinner recipe.

I hope you give this Italian Sausage Soup recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite Soup recipe with Italian Sausage, let me know, I'd love to give it a try.

More Soup Recipes with Pasta

And if you’re looking for even more soup recipes, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of slurp worthy recipes including the most popular on my site for Anthony Bourdain’s New Mexico Style Chili.

Easy Italian Soup Recipe that will knock your socks off. With red wine and pasta shells, this is a great dinner recipe.
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5 from 2 votes

Zuppa Salsiccia, Italian Sausage Soup

With lots of red wine, tomatoes and jumbo pasta shells. Simple with ingredients, easy to make, this is a beautiful sausage soup recipe that will become a favorite.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8
Calories: 406kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 links hot Italian Sausage
  • 3 links sweet Italian Sausage
  • 1 ½ cups good quality red wine
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 small cans stewed tomatoes 15 ½ ounce cans.
  • 1 sweet onion chopped
  • 2 green onions sliced thin
  • 1 whole green pepper chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, plus some for garnish
  • 2 Tablespoons dried basil
  • 3 whole garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Large shell pasta cooked al-la-dente

Instructions

  • In a deep pan brown sausage thoroughly, remove from pan and drain well. In same pan saute onions, green peppers and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add sausage and red wine and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for at least one hour.
  • About 15 minutes before soup is done, cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and keep warm. In a soup bowl spoon a few pasta shells, pour a generous helping of soup over top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and some parsley for garnish.
  • For leftovers, store the pasta and soup in separate containers. If you don’t, the pasta will absorb a lot of the broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg

Zuppa Salsiccia …It’s What’s For Dinner