Italian sausage and tortellini soup
Instructions:
- 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil;
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage;
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups);
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped;
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend;
- 1⁄2 cup dry red wine;
- 4 cups chicken stock;
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes;
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce;
- 2 small zucchini, sliced (about 2 cups);
- 1 large carrot, sliced (about 1 cup);
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup);
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste;
- 12 to 16 ounces cheese tortellini;
- Ground black pepper, to taste;
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes;
- Grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, for serving.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat.
- Slit the sausage casings open lengthwise with the tip of a knife, pull out the sausage, and discard the casings. Break the sausage into pieces the size of small meatballs and add to the pot. Cook the sausage, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer into a medium bowl.
- Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the pan. Stir in the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and herbs and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, tomato sauce, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the sausage and tortellini and simmer until the pasta is al dente. (The cooking time depends on the type of tortellini; follow the package directions.) Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of cheese.