Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground mild Italian sausage (turkey or pork)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup diced onions (about 1/2 large onion)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic)
- 1 (14-ounces) can non-marinated, quartered artichokes
- 1 (14.5-ounces) can petite diced tomatoes (sub: fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
- 1 (15-ounces) can tomato sauce
- 1 quart (32-ounces) chicken broth
- 2 1/2–3 cups (8-10 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini (sub: gluten-free rotini pasta)
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
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Make It Now:
- Brown Sausage: In a 5- or 6-quart stock pot over medium-high heat, brown Italian sausage until cooked through, about 5 minutes, adding Italian seasoning to the sausage while it cooks. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
- Saute Veggies: Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with red pepper flakes and lightly with salt and pepper, to taste, while they cook. Add in the garlic during the last 30-60 seconds of cooking time, so it doesn’t burn.
- Cook Soup: Add cooked sausage, the liquid from artichoke hearts (reserve artichokes), diced tomatoes (liquid and all), tomato sauce, and broth to the pot, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. While soup comes to a boil, chop the artichokes into bite-sized pieces and toss into the pot. Simmer with the lid partially on for 15-20 minutes. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Add Tortellini & Spinach: Add tortellini and spinach, and cook the tortellini according to package directions. Remove from the heat.
- Serve: Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve warm in bowls topped with optional grated Parmesan cheese.
Freeze For Later: Stop cooking the soup at the end of Step 3, before adding tortellini and spinach. Cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag or container, squeezing out all excess air and sealing tightly.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the fridge or in the microwave in a glass bowl using the defrost setting. Then, bring to a simmer in a stock pot on the stove. Add tortellini and chopped spinach and cook until done according to package directions. Serve as directed.
Alternate Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the soup in individual portions after it is fully cooked, but just know that the tortellini will get really soft after freezing and rewarming.
Notes/Tips
- Look for all-natural tortellini in the health food section, or be sure to read the labels of any other options and choose the one with the fewest ingredients in it.
- Want more heat? Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild or add more red pepper flakes.
- Aim for cutting up the vegetables pretty small and in evenly-sized pieces.
- Diced zucchini would be good in this. Throw it in when it’s time to boil the soup.
- Gluten-Free Version: Replace the French Onion soup with 1-quart chicken broth and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Replace the cheese tortellini with gluten-free tortellini or pasta.
- Dairy-Free Version: Replace the cheese tortellini with your favorite pasta. Cook according to package directions.
- Old Recipe Version: We updated this recipe in July 2023 with the popular one from our first cookbook, which leaves out the canned French Onion soup. Here is the old version:
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- 16 oz. mild Italian sausage, crumbled and browned
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more to taste)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 celery rib, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (14-ounces) cans non-marinated, quartered artichokes (liquid and all)
- 1 (14-ounces) can diced tomatoes (liquid and all)
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 cans French Onion Soup
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used 1 box)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 package frozen cheese tortellini
- In a large stock pot over medium high heat, brown Italian sausage until cooked through. Add seasonings to the sausage. Set aside.
- Over medium-high heat, saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add cooked sausage, artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, French Onion Soup, broth, corn, and bay leaves to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add tortellini and cook according to package directions just a few minutes before serving.
- Remove bay leaves and serve with Parmesan cheese on top.
Cuisine:
American
Method:
Stove top