Fall has finally arrived in Columbus! The cool, crisp temps make me crave soup. I made this hearty soup for a bunch of friends, who devoured it. Serve with garlic bread to dip in the broth.

1 lb raw Italian sausage. If you use links, remove the casing.

1 yellow onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

2 T tomato paste

2 T Italian Seasoning

1 T granulated garlic

1 T granulated onion

Salt to taste

1 cup parmesan cheese *

1 cup green lentils, cooked

2 cups sweet potatoes, diced and roasted

2 cups spinach, chopped

In a 6 qt cast iron dutch oven or stockpot, brown the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break the sausage into small pieces.

Add the onion and garlic, stir to combine.

Add the canned tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, granulated garlic, and onion. Stir to combine. Allow simmering for 30 minutes or so until flavors start to come together.

Add the parmesan cheese* to help thicken the soup and add flavor.

Add the lentils, sweet potatoes, and spinach. Stir until heated through.

Serve with more parmesan on top if desired.

* I used the rind of parmesan wedges. It is a great way to utilize waste. Shredded parmesan is perfectly good to use as well in the soup.