Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

This tortellini soup with sausage embodies all the wonders of Italian cooking: Italian sausage, garlic, tomatoes, and red wine. Serve with hot bread and salad for a delicious meal. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 324 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 4 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 5 cups beef broth
• 8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
• 1 ½ cups sliced zucchini
• ½ tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cook sausage in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain grease, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in the pot.

Step 2

Sauté onions and garlic in drippings over medium heat until onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, water, wine, basil, oregano, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Skim fat from soup. Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes; add tortellini during the last 10 minutes.