Italian Sausage & Cheese Tortellini Minestrone

This is a lower fat, delicious, tasty, filling soup loaded with thick, chewy cheese tortellini, Italian turkey sausage and wonderful veggies ! This recipe came from Light & Tasty magazine. A meal in itself!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 lbs  Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 6 1⁄2 cups  reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes (UNDRAINED)
• 2  cups  thinly sliced carrots
• 1  cup  thinly sliced celery
• 1  cup ketchup
• 2  cups  thinly sliced small zucchini
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped green pepper
• 2  cups  frozen cheese tortellini
• 1⁄2 cup  canned drained red kidney beans (optional) or 1⁄2 cup chickpeas (optional) or 1⁄2 cup corn (optional) or 1⁄2 cup peas (optional) or 1⁄2 cup green beans (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup  minced fresh Italian parsley
• 1  teaspoon  italian seasoning

Directions

1. Brown Italian turkey sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
2. Drain meat well.
3. Add the beef broth, undrained tomatoes, carrots, celery, ketchup, and Italian Seasoning.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
6. Add zucchini, green pepper and (canned beans or peas, if using) and cook for 5 minutes more.
7. Stir in tortellini and Italian parsley.
8. Cook until tortellini is tender (5-7 minutes).
9. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve and ENJOY!