Sausage Tortellini Soup

This Sausage Tortellini Soup is one of the most comforting meals to make on a cold winter day - and one the whole family will love. It's quick and easy to whip up, but so full of flavor!

Ingredients

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

½ 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

¼ cup heavy cream optional for a creamy soup

finely shredded parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

Brown sausage: Heat oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned.

1 tablespoon olive oil,1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage

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.

1 medium yellow onion,2 medium carrots,2 stalks celery,1 medium green pepper,2 tablespoons tomato paste,1 tablespoon Italian seasoning,½ teaspoon 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.

4 cups beef broth,1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce,1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes

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.

1 (9-oz) package cheese tortellini,¼ cup heavy cream