Recipe: Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini
Rec.food.recipes/BunnyMama (1997)
Serves 8

My absolute favorite soup -- and I'll bet it's even better than the soup at your local deli!! Sharon

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 cup onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped, seeded OR
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, undrained
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
8 ounces tortellini, or ravioli
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
Parmesan cheese, grated

Brown sausage; remove from pan and drain, reserving 1 tbsp. drippings. In Dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in reserved drippings until onions are tender. Add beef broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim fat from soup. Add zucchini, tortellini, parsley and green pepper. Simmer covered an additional 35-40 minutes or until tortellini are tender. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.