Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups beef broth

4 large tomatoes – peeled, seeded and chopped

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup water

½ cup red wine

½ tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups sliced zucchini

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta

Directions

Cook sausage in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain grease, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in the pot. Sauté onions and garlic in drippings over medium heat until onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, water, wine, basil, oregano, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim fat from soup. Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes; add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Serve with corn bread or polenta. 8 Servings.