Soup

• Lasagna Soup
• Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
• Pasta E Fagioli Soup - Olive Garden
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Chili

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into ¹/₂ inch cubes
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
• ¹/₂ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. table salt
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
• ¹/₂ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ³/₄ cup red wine or red cooking wine
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 6 no-boil lasagna noodles (about 4 oz.), broken into 1 inch pieces
• ¹/₂ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¹/₄ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¹/₂  cup Ricotta cheese
•  ¹/₄  cup half-and-half

Instructions:

• In a large soup pot, combine the olive oil, onion, and garlic and saute over medium-high heat until soft, a few minutes. 
• Remove the onion and set it aside, then add the sausage and saute until cooked through. Season with the pepper flakes, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning, and nutmeg and pour in the wine. Cook, stirring, 3-5 minutes to infuse the meat with flavor.
• Return the cooked onion to the pot and add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Give a thorough stir, then toss in the broken lasagna noodles and stir to combine.
• Simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors and soften the noodles.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mozzarella, Parmesan, and ricotta and mash them with a fork. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's needed
• Stir the half-and-half into the soup, then simmer for 2-3 minutes to smooth out the flavors
• To serve, divide the soup among large bowls. Top each with a big tablespoon of the cheese mixture and stir it in to melt it

Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground pork sausage or Italian sausage
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
• ¹/₄  cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 package (9 oz.) three cheese tortellini
• 3 cups kale or spinach, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the sausage. Cook and crumble until brown, remove and set aside on a plate. Add the carrots and onion and saute until tender. Add in garlic and Italian seasoning and saute for a minute more.
• Add in the flour to the vegetables and pour in chicken broth. Add in the tomato paste and stir. Add in heavy cream and tortellini and bring to a simmer for about 7 minutes until tortellini is cooked. Add in the kale or spinach right before serving and salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta E Fagioli Soup - Olive Garden

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 (10 oz) cans beef stock
• 3 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp pepper
• 5 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp Tabasco
• 1 (20 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz pasta

Instructions: 

1. Brown beef, drain. Add to crock pot with all of above ingredients except pasta
2. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours. During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta 
3. OR
4. Saute beef, drain.
5. Add onions, celery, carrots, and tomatoes and simmer about 10 minutes.
6. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot
7. Add beef stock, spices, spaghetti sauce, and noodles.
8. Simmer until carrots and celery are tender, about 45 minutes.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - cooked and diced
• 1 stalk of celery - chopped
• ½ white onion - diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• salt and pepper - to taste
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 16 ounces potato gnocchi
• 2 cups half and half - see note
• 1 cup fresh spinach - roughly chopped

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, onions, garlic, and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
• Add chicken, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and thyme, bring to a boil, then gently stir in gnocchi. Boil for 3-4 minutes longer before reducing heat to a simmer and cooking for 10 minutes.
• Stir in half and half and spinach and cook another 1-2 minutes until spinach is tender. Taste, add salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

Chili

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 jalapenos, diced
• 1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 2.5 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to a large soup pot and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion and jalapenos. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and chipotle peppers. Stir until well combined.
• Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), drained beans, and tomato sauce. Stir well.
• Bring the liquid to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat (low to medium-low) to gently simmer the chili, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Let the chili rest 5-10 minutes before serving.