Sausage Tortellini Soup

- Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onion and cook until the sausage is done browning and the onion has softened.
- Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste with about 1/2 cup of beef broth. Add the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and thinned-out tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium and bring it to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the cheese tortellini and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tortellini are cooked to your desired tenderness.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the arugula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle each bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme or fresh basil.

You can substitute fresh baby spinach for arugula without changing the recipe. Remember to remove the large stems.
Most grocery stores carry refrigerated pasta, although you may have to ask where it is in the store. You can always substitute frozen cheese tortellini or even dried tortellini.
Try to purchase good quality Italian sausage from a local meat market. If it is only available in links, cut the casings off.
For Italian sausage substitutes, try chicken, ground beef, or pork sausage.
Dried herbs work best in soup, where their flavors have time to permeate the whole pot. I like to add them to the fat from the Italian sausage and cook for about a minute. This technique is known as blooming.
A tablespoon of Italian seasoning can be substituted for the dried herbs.

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