Cheese Tortellini Soup w/ Kielbasa, White Beans, Spinach

By mytastytreasures

Delicious, satisfying soup from a well-loved Junior League cookbook!

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 12 oz thinly sliced fully cooked
• smoked kielbasa
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 4 cloves garlic ,minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons choped fresh thyme or
• 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 5 cans chicken broth (low salt) 14 oz
• each
• 1 can diced tmatoes with liquid (I
• use fire roasted) 14.5 oz
• 1 can (15 oz) white cannellini beans,
• rinsed and drained
• 1 pkg. 9oz fresh cheese tortellini
• 1/2 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed,
• dried, tough stems removed
• Grated Parmesan cheese , for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa, garlic, onion, thyme, and red pepper flakes and saute until browned, about 12 minutes. ( I threw the garlic in after about 8 minutes of cooking.. didn't want it to burn.)

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil . Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans and tortellini to the soup. Simmer until the pasta is just tender to the bite, about 10 minutes. Stir the spinach into the soup and turn off the heat; let stand for about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

** Please note , add tortellini at another time if you aren't going to eat this all right away. It will become mushy if stored and absorbs some of the soup. I recommend boiling it as needed al dente, then throwing it in the soup for a couple of minutes.