Italian Sausage & Tortellini Soup

As I have mentioned numerous times before, I try not to eat pasta when I am not at work. So, to serve with the Double Tomato Bruschetta, I chose this recipe for an Italian sausage soup. Yes, I know that tortellini still counts as pasta, but it is a bit fancier and this recipe doesn’t use very much of it. This soup captures the essence of true Italian flavors- basil, tomato, garlic, oregano, and red wine- and is a great alternative to the typical Italian pasta dinner.

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Serves 4

• 1/2 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (drained)
• 3 large carrots (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 3 medium zucchini (sliced)
• 8 oz fresh tortellini pasta (such as Barilla)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, brown the sausage.
2. Drain off the excess fat and add the onions. Saute on medium-high until onions are soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Skim off any fat from the soup, then stir in the zucchini and parsley, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes, adding the tortellini during the last 10 minutes.
6. Fill bowls with soup and top each with parmesan cheese before serving.

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