Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage (either ground; or removed from casings and crumbled)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
  • 2 medium carrots (chopped)
  • 2 stalks celery (sliced)
  • 1 medium green pepper (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 cups beef broth (chicken is fine, too)
  • 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (9-oz) package cheese tortellini
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional for a creamy soup)
  • finely shredded parmesan cheese (for serving (optional))

Instruction

  • Brown sausage: Heat oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned.
  • Sauté vegetables: Add onion, carrots, celery and green pepper to the sausage in the pot and cook until starting to soften, about 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
  • Simmer soup: Pour broth over sausage and vegetables, scratching any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir well, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Finish soup: Open lid, add cheese tortellini and simmer until tortellini are cooked through, usually 4-5 minutes for most brands. Stir in cream, if desired, and serve topped with parmesan cheese.