4 Warm Winter Soup Recipes

From chicken noodle to chowder, here are 4 easy soup recipes your family will slurp up!

 

Italian Meatball Soup

This savory soup offers long-simmered flavor in a fraction of the time. A few simple shortcuts deliver a perfect, flavor-packed meal that even your Italian grandmother would love -- and in only half an hour.

Sometimes I fantasize about having a pot of soup simmering away on the stove all day. But in my hectic life, that's not usually the reality. But you can have slow-simmered flavor in a fraction of the time with a few simple tricks. Quality chicken broths in boxes are a time saver when you don't have any homemade on hand, and Italian sausages squeezed from their casing make terrifically flavored meatballs. In less than 30 minutes you can have authentic tasting Italian meatball soup even your Nonna would approve of.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound italian sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 32 ounce box free-range chicken broth
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 1 10 ounce package small tortellini, fresh
• large handful parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Squish the sausage out of the casing to make rustic meatballs and drop in the oil. You should get about 4 balls per link. Brown meatballs on all sides and remove from the pan.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add garlic and stir for one minute more.
3. Raise heat and pour in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and their juice, and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Add spinach and meatballs, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Raise heat to medium high, add fresh tortellini and simmer for 5 minutes more or until pasta is cooked through. Stir in Parmesan cheese , reserving some for sprinkling over at the table

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