Minestrone Soup with Sausage and Tortellini

Ingredients

• 30 ml (2 tbsp)olive oil
• 680 g (1½ lb)Italian sausage links
• 1onion, chopped
• 2carrots, thickly sliced
• 3russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1courgette, sliced and quartered
• 1bell pepper, any colour, cored, seeded and chopped
• 1.9 litres (8 cups)beef stock
• 227 g (1 × 8-ounce can)tomato sauce
• 2 × 397 g (2 × 14-ounce cans)petite diced tomatoes
• 425 g (1 × 15-ounce can)chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 5 ml (1 tsp)dried oregano
• 5 ml (1 tsp)dried basil
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• 225 g (1½ cups)frozen green beans, no need to thaw
• 454 g (1 lb)fresh cheese tortellini (or 1 cup small pasta)
• 28 g (1 oz; ¼ cup)Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the sausage

   Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the sausages on all sides, then take them out. Add the onion to the drippings and sauté for 10–15 minutes. Stir in the carrots and sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the potatoes, courgette and pepper, and sauté for another 2–3 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the liquids

   Add the stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chickpeas, oregano and basil. Bring the soup to the boil.

3. 3

   Simmer the soup

   Return the sausages to the pot. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes to 3 hours.

4. 4

   Slice the sausage

   Take the cooked sausages out of the pot and slice them on a chopping board. Stir them back into the soup, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.

5. 5

   Cook the pasta

   About 15 minutes before serving, bring the soup to a gentle boil and stir in the green beans and pasta. Simmer vigorously until the pasta is completely cooked.

6. 6

   Serve with Parmesan

   Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.

What is minestrone?

Minestrone is an Italian-style vegetable soup, often made with beans and pasta or another filling starch. This version takes a hearty American approach, adding Italian sausage, potatoes and cheese tortellini to the vegetable-rich tomato broth.

The sausage browns in the pot before the vegetables go in, leaving savoury drippings to build flavour. A long, gentle simmer gives the vegetables time to soften and the broth time to come together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 442 calories, 20g protein, 36g carbs, 25g fat.

The potatoes, chickpeas, tortellini and vegetables supply most of the carbohydrates; the sausage and olive oil contribute much of the fat, while the sausage, tortellini and chickpeas provide protein. Balance a bowl with a side salad or extra vegetables, and use bread only if you want a more substantial meal.

Build flavour in the pot

Sausage first: brown the links on all sides, then set them aside while the onion cooks in the drippings. This gives the vegetables a savoury base before the stock and tomatoes are added.

Vegetables next: add the carrots, potatoes, courgette and pepper in the order given. The brief sauté gives them a start before they simmer in the broth.

Choose the pasta timing

Tortellini: fresh cheese tortellini goes into the soup around 15 minutes before serving, so it has time to cook without simmering for hours. Check that the pasta is cooked through before ladling the soup.

Small pasta: the recipe offers small pasta as an alternative. Follow the package cooking time as a guide, since shapes and brands can take different lengths of time.

Use the simmer to set the texture

Short simmer: 30 minutes gives the ingredients a chance to cook together. The recipe also allows a longer covered simmer, up to 3 hours, for a more leisurely cook.

Doneness: look for tender potatoes and carrots, and fully cooked pasta. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer during the longer cooking stage, then bring it to a low boil when adding the green beans and pasta.

Season after simmering

Salt and pepper: the sausage, stock and Parmesan all contribute flavour, so taste the broth before adding the final seasoning. Adjust with salt and black pepper after stirring the sliced sausage back in.

Parmesan: sprinkle it over the bowls just before serving. That keeps the cheese as a distinct finishing touch rather than blending it into the pot.

Make it a meal

Bread: serve the soup with crusty bread for dipping into the tomato broth. A simple green salad is another option alongside the hearty soup.

Extra Parmesan: put more shredded cheese on the table for anyone who wants a stronger savoury finish. The soup already includes pasta, chickpeas and potatoes, so a small side is usually enough.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces so they soften at a similar rate.
• Let the onion sauté for the full 10–15 minutes to soften it and develop flavour.
• Keep the pot covered during the long simmer, as directed.
• Add the frozen green beans straight to the pot without thawing them first.
• Taste the soup after returning the sausage before deciding how much salt to add.
• Check the tortellini for doneness before serving, as cooking times can vary.

Variations

• Use small pasta: substitute 1 cup small pasta for the tortellini, as suggested in the recipe.
• Change the pepper: choose any colour of bell pepper for the chopped pepper in the soup.
• Adjust the simmer: cook for 30 minutes for a shorter version or let it simmer covered for longer, up to 3 hours.
• Add more Parmesan: offer extra shredded cheese at the table for a richer finish.
• Make it less meaty: use less sausage and keep the chickpeas, vegetables and tortellini in the soup.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the sausage: brown the links in a single layer so they colour on all sides.
• Skipping the onion sauté: cook it in the sausage drippings for the stated 10–15 minutes before adding the other vegetables.
• Adding pasta too early: wait until about 15 minutes before serving so it does not overcook during the long simmer.
• Assuming the vegetables are ready: check the potatoes and carrots for tenderness before serving.
• Overseasoning at the start: taste after the sausage goes back in, then adjust the salt and pepper.

How to store

Cool leftover soup and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob until piping hot, stirring occasionally; the pasta may soften as it sits in the broth.

Frequently asked questions