Italian Meatball Soup

Sometimes I fantasize about having a pot of soup simmering away on the stove all day. But in my hectic life, that's not usually the reality. But you can have slow-simmered flavor in a fraction of the time with a few simple tricks. Quality chicken broths in boxes are a time saver when you don't have any homemade on hand, and Italian sausages squeezed from their casing make terrifically flavored meatballs. In less than 30 minutes you can have authentic tasting Italian meatball soup even your Nonna would approve of.

Ingredients

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Squish the sausage out of the casing to make rustic meatballs and drop in the oil. You should get about 4 balls per link. Brown meatballs on all sides and remove from the pan.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add garlic and stir for one minute more.
3. Raise heat and pour in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and their juice, and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Add spinach and meatballs, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Raise heat to medium high, add fresh tortellini and simmer for 5 minutes more or until pasta is cooked through. Stir in Parmesan cheese , reserving some for sprinkling over at the table.