Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup

Every once in a while you discover a new recipe that is a keeper! I found this recipe a couple weeks ago and I have already made it twice. It is delicious and it isn't complicated at all - just my style. This recipe came from Taste of Home but I tweaked it to simplify it just a little bit more. (You can see the original recipe here.) To make this Rustic Italian Soup you will need the following ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage (Pork or Italian - whichever you prefer!)
1 medium onion chopped
Minced garlic (6 cloves) or substitute garlic powder to taste
28 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
1 and 3/4 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 9 oz package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 package (6 oz) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
(Italian seasoning to taste if you use pork sausage and not Italian)

The first thing you will need to do is brown your sausage, onion, and garlic. I also added Italian seasoning since my family prefers pork sausage but I still wanted some of that yummy Italian flavor. (Note: if you're using fresh minced garlic add this after your meat is browned and cook it in for about a minute. I used garlic powder so I added it all at the same time.) While you're doing this people may start flocking to your kitchen because its smells amazing...

Once your meat is cooked through, add your chicken stock, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling add your tortellini. Cook for just 7 to 9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir occasionally.

While you're waiting for your the pasta to cook you can start chopping your spinach. I love the spinach in this soup! After the pasta is tender add your spinach, basil, and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

That's all there is to it and this was one of the best soups I have ever made. It had so much flavor. I'm a sucker for anything with pasta! 

Because I was making this particular batch for a friend who just had a baby, I put it in a big basket with french bread, salad, and sparkling apple cider. A simple but flavorful meal.

This recipe definitely goes on my favorites list. Spring is right around the corner but there are bound to be a few more chilly nights perfect for a warm and hearty soup. I hope you love it as much as I do!