Giambotta (Italian Vegetable Stew with Sausage)

A hearty hug from Nonna, straight from the garden.

Some recipes don’t just fill your belly – they fill your soul. This one? This is Lou’s Nonna Concetta in a bowl. It’s called giambotta (pronounced chahm-BOUGHT), and it’s been warming hearts and bellies for generations.

Grandma Concetta was the tiniest woman with the biggest presence. Born in Italy, she came to America with her husband Guiseppe – whom everyone called Grandpa Joe – and together they built a life rooted in hard work, family, and a backyard garden that could rival any farm. Tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, herbs – you name it, they grew it. And from that garden came this stew.

Lou’s favorite person in the world was his Grandma. He lights up whenever he talks about her. And when I make this dish, even with a few updates here and there, he always says the same thing:

“It’s like a kiss from Grandma.”

That’s the magic of giambotta. It’s a rustic Italian vegetable stew that’s traditionally made with whatever is fresh and abundant – especially in the summertime. It’s delicious on its own, but adding sausage makes the whole thing sing). Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread, and prepare for a very happy food coma.

2 hours/moderate/6-8 servings

nutrition per serving:

339 calories, 12g protein, 17g carbs, 26g fat, 7g sugar

ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 boxes (8 cups) of chicken broth or stock (start with 1 box and have an additional box of broth on hand, just in case you need to add more to the stew!)
• 1 pound of sweet Italian sausage links
• 1 diced tomato or 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes
• 1 potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup of green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup of spinach, chiffonade cut*
• 1/2 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
• 1 yellow squash, cubed
• 1 green zucchini, cubed
• 5 basil leaves, chiffonade cut*
• grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• your favorite crusty bread

directions

1. 1. Sauté the base:
      Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Toss in the carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook for another 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened.

   2. Add broth and sausage:
      Pour in 4 cups of broth. Slice the sausage into 1-inch chunks (keep them in the casings!) and add them to the pot. Stir everything together.

   3. Veggie party:
      Stir in the tomatoes, then add potato, green beans, spinach, eggplant, squash, and zucchini – chopping as you go or prepping ahead of time. Stir after each addition. If the stew feels too thick, add a bit more broth. You want a hearty stew texture, not soup.

   4. Simmer gently:
      Lower the heat and let everything simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

   5. Finish with love:
      When the vegetables are fork-tender, stir in the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

   6. Serve:
      Ladle into bowls, sprinkle generously with grated parmesan, and serve with crusty bread for dunking. Trust me – you’ll want to soak up every drop!

notes and tips