A rustic, homemade soup similar to pasta e fagioli or minestrone, made with ingredients local to our hometown of Toulouse.
30 Mins
easy
cheap
6 Servings
Nut Free
Dairy Free
Soupe de Toulouse may sound like something crazy intimidating to make. It certainly has a long list of ingredients. But most of the ingredients are things you can access easily at home, with the exception of saucisse de Toulouse. Saucisse de Toulouse is a raw sausage you can find here in France, in the meats section. It has a mild taste and is used in recipes like cassoulet or just fried and eaten like a bratwurst.
If you can't find saucisse de Toulouse, mild Italian sausage or bratwurst will work well in this recipe. You'll want to cut the casing off the sausage, which is a little gross (in my opinion) but makes the sausage easier to manage in the pan. Always remember when handling raw meats like sausage: wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling! Don't get sick for the sake of a delicious meal.
This recipe is hearty and warms the soul on a cold winter evening. It's also great if you're on a budget as the ingredients are fairly cheap. Your family will love it, I guarantee.
Recipe 
Ingredients 
400g Saucisse de Toulouse a mild sausage originating from the French city of Toulouse
1 small can Tomato Paste concentrated tomato sauce
1 cup Macaroni 
1 large diced Green Bell Pepper 
1 large diced Onion 
3 cloves, minced Garlic 
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence mixed dried provincial herbs, blended together
1 cube Chicken Boullion Cube A dried cube of boullion flakes
2 tablespoons Olive Oil - 4 cups Water
1 large, chopped into quarters Zucchini
Cooking Gear 
Cooktop
Cutting Board and Knife- Large Pot
mise en place 
- Chop all veggies into specified shapes and set aside
- Take the sausage out of its casing by carefully using a knife to open the casing, then squeezing out the sausage. Be sure to wash your hands before and after this process.
Steps 
- Heat the stove to medium high and add the olive oil.
- Once the olive oil is moderately heated, add the onions.
- Sweat the onions for 1-2 minutes and then add the garlic. Heat for another minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the sausage to the pan, mash with your spoon and cook until no more pink remains
- Once the sausage is cooked, add in the rest of the vegetables (peppers and zucchini) and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- After cooking for a few minutes, stir in the tomato paste and herbs. Feel free to add a generous pinch of salt and pepper here as well.
- Now add the macaroni noodles, water, and boullion cube. Continue cooking until the macaroni noodles are al dente.
- Enjoy as-is, or with a nice slice of baguette.
*tips and hints* 
- You can add canned beans, like chickpeas or kidney beans to add more protein and bulk to the meal
- This meal keeps exceptionally well in the fridge, but thickens up into a goulash-like texture. If you prefer to revive it into a soup again, add water or broth and reheat on the stove. It does taste just as well in its thickened state, though!
- Seasonally, you may find different veggies that work well in this dish. For instance, fresh spring peas or summer corn. The beauty of this soup is that it is very versatile.