Bison and Vegetable Soup

[CodingQueen]

This is actually the Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli recipe without the pasta (squash and zucchini have been substituted) that my uncle uses for this soup. You will need a very large pot (at least 10-qt.) or you can cut it in half to make it more manageable..CQ

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon oil
2 pounds ground bison (other lean ground meat maybe used)
2 cups chopped onion
3 cups carrots, cut diagonally
4 cups diced celery
48 oz canned diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked red kidney beans*
2 cups cooked cannellini beans*
11 cups beef broth
1 Tablespoon oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (1 2/3 Tablespoons fresh chopped maybe used)
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce (preferably Texas Pete)
48 oz Marina sauce (preferably Rao's)
2 yellow squash (bratwurst size), sliced**
2 zucchini (bratwurst size), sliced**
*The beans can be increased to 4 cups each if omitting the squash and zucchini
**Slice in half lengthwise and then crosswise to make half moon slices

Directions:

Brown the bison in the oil (it's very lean and will burn otherwise). Add the onion, carrots, celery and tomatoes. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans if using canned and add to the pot. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer until the carrots are tender (about 45 minutes to an hour).