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Minestone with Italian Sausage and Cheese Tortellini

This Minestrone is very special with the addition of Toski Sands homemade Italian sausage and cheese tortellini. It abounds in fall vegetables and is delicately seasoned with oregano and basil. Serve it with Crooked Tree Breadworks Italian bread and Zoe first press olive oil for dipping.
Course Main Dish
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 lbs. Toski Sands Mild Italian Sausage
  • 1/2 lbs. Bacon sliced into 1/2 inch strips
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 4 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 Carrots peeled, thickly sliced
  • 1 Leek (white & tender green part), sliced thick
  • 1 Onion (small) or Shallot chopped
  • 3 cups Green Cabbage shredded
  • 2 Zucchini (small, or one large) - Quartered lengthwise, sliced 1 inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons Parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Oregano chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Basil chopped
  • 2 inch piece Parmesan Rind
  • Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
  • 1 Large Idaho Potato
  • 5 cups Kitchen Basic Natural Chicken Base
  • 3 cups Kitchen Basic Natural Beef Base
  • 2 tablespoons Del Alpe Tomato Paste (in a tube)
  • 4 Roma Tomatoes coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 lbs. Cheese Stuffed Tortellini
  • 2 tablespoons Parsley chopped
  • Parmesan Cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  • Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until sausage is cooked all the way through. Set to the side and cool. Once cooled, cut into one inch slices.
  • In a soup pot, cook bacon on low heat for 10 minutes.
    Add butter. When butter is melted, add garlic, carrots, leeks and onions. Increase heat to medium low.
    Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add cabbage, zucchini, parsley, oregano, basil, Parmesan rind, salt, pepper, broth and tomato paste to soup pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, pasta, cooked sausage and parsley to soup pot. Heat for additional 10 - 15 minutes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering 15 minutes. Remove Parmesan rind before serving. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Let It Simmer
    You don’t have to serve the soup immediately. You can let it simmer on your stovetop for several hours. It gets progressively better over time.
    Reheating Soup
    Reheat on the stovetop on low heat, stirring occasionally. Or microwave on 70 percent power for 7 minutes.
    Freezing Soup
    Make a double batch and freeze half. Or, freeze leftover soup in serving size containers for a quick meal later. Freeze soup up to 6 months.