Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

 Ingredients:

1 lb Italian Sausage
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 pinches crushed red pepper
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
10 ounces refrigerated tortellini
3 cups arugula  (or spinach)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium heat.  When it is almost fully browned add the onion and cook until the sausage is done browning and the onion has softened.  Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.

In a small bowl whisk the tomato paste with about 1/2 cup beef broth. Add the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, fire roasted tomatoes and thinned out tomato paste.  Increase the heat to medium low and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add the cheese tortellini and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tortellinis are cooked to your desired tenderness.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the arugula.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle each bowl with 1-2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can substitute spinach for arugula without any changes to the recipe.

Most grocery stores carry refrigerated pasta although you may have to ask where it is in the store.  You can always substitute frozen cheese tortellini.

Try to purchase a good Italian sausage from a local Italian meat market.  If it is only available in links simply cut the casings off.

This soup is really so quick and easy that is doable on a weeknight.

Dried herbs work best in soup where their flavors have time to permeate the whole pot.  I like to add them right before the liquids and stir for about 1 minute.

Buy the freshest dried herbs you can get.  If they don’t have much smell to them anymore than they have lost their potency and they will not lend much to the recipe.  It is time to replace them.

The crushed red pepper adds a very minuscule amount of heat but if the idea of adding it leaves you apprehensive than omit it.