Sausage Tortellini Soup

As promised, I have another fantastic weeknight meal for you!  I have to admit, despite our mild winters here in south Florida, I have become a soup junkie this year.  I have soup at least once a week.  If you ever want to stretch a buck and feed a lot of people, soup is the way to do it.  Also, when I make it just for Matt and me, I can freeze half and know that some time in the near future, I can get a night off from cooking.  As much as I love to come home and cook a nice meal, it is a liberating feeling to know that I have a back up plan if work runs late.

This soup has similar flavors to my Italian Wedding Soup with Parmesan Crisps, but it is way faster and easier.  This is my Sausage Tortellini Soup:

Sausage Tortellini Soup

I really cannot say enough how satisfying soup is.  No matter where you are, it makes you feel toasty and happy inside.  

Bring a large, deep pot to medium high heat. Brown your sausage.

After your sausage has gotten brown but not yet crispy, add 2 sliced carrots.  Saute for about 3-4 minutes until the carrots soften and the sausage gets that yummy brown crunch on the outside.  At this point, drain the excess fat from the pan.

Pour in 6 cups of chicken stock (or a quart of chicken stock and 2 cups of water if you don't want to buy 2 boxes of stock).  Bring the stock to a boil.  Sorry for the very unappetizing picture, but stick with me!  We are not done yet.

Measure out 4 cups of spinach and 2 cups of three cheese tortellini.  Another great option for this soup would be to substitute kale for the spinach.  Either would be fabulous.  Make the recipe your own!

 Turn down the eye to medium low heat and add the tortellini to your soup pot.

Next goes the spinach!  Popeye would approve

Woah... where did the spinach go? Once the spinach has wilted, add 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

Take a few sprigs of parsley.  I prefer Italian flat leaf parsley, but my curly parsley was in full bloom and just begging to be used.

Chop up your parsley, and add it to the soup 

Wow, what a transformation!  The ugly duckling has become a swan.  Stir everything until it is incorporated.

Dish your soup into bowls, and grab a spoon.  This is one easy, one-pot meal!  I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed eating it.

Ingredients

1lb of ground pork sausage

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

6 cups of chicken broth

4 cups packed spinach

2 cups of three-cheese tortellini

1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan, plus more for garnish

2 TBSP of fresh parsley 

Directions

Bring a large pot to medium-high heat, and brown the sausage.  Add the carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Drain the excess fat from the pan.  Pour the chicken broth over the sausage and carrots.  Bring the broth to a boil.  

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tortellini and spinach.  Cook for about 4 minutes until your tortellini has warmed in the center.  Chop your parsley, and add it along with the Parmesan cheese to your soup.  Stir until it is incorporated.

Ladle into bowls, and enjoy!  Remember, soup is even better the next day, so get your lunch box excited.