This soup embodies all the wonders of Italian cooking: Italian sausage, garlic, tomatoes and red wines. Serve with hot bread and salad for a delicious meal. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.By Mary P

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hr 15 mins
Total: 1 hr 35 mins
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
½ cup water
½ cup red wine
4 large tomatoes – peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
½ tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups sliced zucchini
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.

Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 324 calories; protein 14.6g; carbohydrates 19.1g; fat 20.2g; cholesterol 49.7mg; sodium 1144.8mg.