Meatball Tortellini Soup

 

I used this recipe, but instead of sausage, substituted mini meatballs (simply because it is what I had in my freezer) and tried another Pinterest recipe.  It was YUMMY!!  So easy to make, and I had everything on hand to whip up a delicious dinner for the family.  Love that it took less than an hour, and the leftovers tasted better the next day!!  You can find the original recipe here.

 

Here is my modified version:

Meatball Tortellini Soup

Yield: Serves 6   Prep Time: 10 minutes      Cook Time: 30 minutes   Total Time: 40 minutes

Hearty soup with meatballs, cheese tortellini, red peppers, and spinach.

Ingredients: 1 lb.  mini meatballs (frozen food section)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and pat dry
2 cups cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, brown the mini meatballs until cooked through. This will take about 5-7 minutes on the stove top, or 1-2 minutes if you use the microwave.  Drain off the grease and place the meatballs on a plate lined with paper towels.

2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the red peppers, and red pepper flakes. Cook until peppers are soft, about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and spinach. Add the cheese tortellini and cook until tortellini is tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the mini meatballs and heat until warm.