Sausage, Spinach & Tortellini Soup

One of our favorite homemade soups not only warms our bellies but also our hearts and souls. It’s a perfect dish for any day of the year. Soups don’t have to be complex. Though this is a soup, don’t be fooled into thinking this can’t be a meal. This scrumptious soup includes ingredients from every food group.

In our RV galley, I brag about my galley because of its ample size and storage, In one of my huge pantry cabinets, I dig out my 6 quart Instant Pot.

Belonging to RV and cooking Facebook groups, I learned of this ingenious appliance tool that takes the place of an array of cooking tools that fill up cabinets. And if you’re familiar with how space is a premium in an RV or camper, you’ll be appreciative of me telling you about this awesome ‘one pot wonder’.

My Instant Pot will be doing three things in this recipe; saute’ (bottom left), slow cook (above saute’) and soup (top left) modes by just mere touch of the labeled buttons. Oh, and being that no one likes to really do dishes, this is one of my favorite one pot wonders! I bought my Instant Pot on Amazon for $80 (daily deal) as well as the glass lid (sold separately).

I first start with getting some of my ingredients out…

We love the Johnsonville Apple Chicken Sausages because they are lower in fat yet tasty. One pack of four is enough unless you are feeding a meat guy (or girl). I also brought out 1 small onion, 4 firm Roma maters, two quarts of chicken broth/stock and 2 quarts of water (not shown…oops!). We try to use organic whenever possible.

I soak my maters in a white vinegar & water bath after washing them. You’d be amazed at the oil sheen from the coating growers put on them to preserve them during shipment (yuck!). The vinegar water soaks it off. While they are soaking, I peel the onion and rough chop it. I halve each sausage link and then slice them in 1/2″ slices. You can just slice them in bigger pieces if you prefer.

In my Instant Pot, I put about 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil and throw in the sausage and onions with a pinch or two of S&P (Salt & Pepper). I don’t add a lot of salt because there’s already a bit of sodium in the sausage. I saute until the onions are almost translucent and the sausage starts to brown. You want the bottom of your Instant Pot to get a little crusty from browning.

While its been sauteing, slice the maters in 1/2″ slices.

After the sausage/onion mixture is browned and the aroma is smelling up the joint (in a good way), I throw in the sliced maters, then add the 2 quarts of Chicken Broth and 2 quarts of water. I add in a couple dried herbs for taste. And to be honest with you, I have no idea what I put in because I have such a collection of dried herbs and they’re all green. I just throw in a teaspoon of this and that. I know, I should pay more attention…not!

At this point, I turn off the Instant Pot and then press the ‘slow cook’ button. Now, unless we were wanting to eat right way, the slow cook method gives us time to run out for a few hours, nap, go for a short walk, play with our resident mousers, or whatever else you can do in 4 hours. You can use the ‘soup’ mode if you wish to cook it faster (30 minutes)…but we don’t want to do that. So again, ‘slow cook’ today.

When our Instant Pot beeps after 4 hours, it automatically switches to the warm (bottom right – red button) option. Immediately, I turn it off and then press the soup (top left) button.

I grab the last 2 ingredients out of the fridge. Oh, did I mention that in our Heartland Landmark 365, we have a residential refrigerator? With an ice maker? That has lots of space in it? It runs off of an inverter when we are moving on down the road but then when connected to utilities at an RV park, resort or campground, its switched to electric. How cool is that?

Anyways, back to my last 2 ingredients; fresh spinach and pre-made mixed cheese tortellini which you can find in the refrigerated section of your grocer. We prefer Buitoni because then I don’t have to precook it leaving me with another pot to wash; who’s got time for that?

I throw the spinach in my salad spinner to give it a vinegar and water bath; the same as what I did to the maters.

While the spinach is soaking for a minute, I toss in the Tortellini and stir. I let that cook for about 5 minutes; stirring occasionally. Then I put in half of the spinach and gently stir in and after the leaves have withered down, I put in the other half in doing the same. I allow it to cook an additional 5 minutes. By then, the Tortellini will be tender and the spinach will be cooked in just right to add flavor, texture, color and just plain goodness.

Oh, now just look at that for a moment! Sorry you can’t lick your screen to taste it. Mmmmm Good! (oh wait, I can’t steal that…)

Then I ring the dinner bell. Oh wait, we live in a 300some square foot RV; all I have to do is whisper ‘CHOW TIME’.

Anyways, in two of our four Corelle bowls that we own, we ladle instant deliciousness! We serve it with Baguette, French or Italian Bread…or nothing because it really IS filling. Wine is good too…any color! From a bottle or a box…we’re not picky.

SO, here’s the recipe in print:

SAUSAGE, SPINACH & TORTELLINI SOUP

1 or 2 12 oz package(s) of sausage (your choice of brand and flavor)
1 Small Onion
4 Roma Tomatoes
2 Tbsp Olive Oil (or whatever oil you choose)
2 32 oz boxes of Chicken Broth/Stock
2 qts water
8 oz bag of fresh spinach
28 oz package of precooked 3-cheese Tortellini
Salt and Pepper
Herbs (your choice for flavoring)

Wash tomatoes and fresh spinach separately; set aside in separate bowls. Put oil in Instant Pot and press the saute’ button. Rough chop onion and slice sausage into appropriate size pieces for your hungry eaters and put into IP. Saute until sausage has browned leaving a light crust on the bottom of the pot and onions are translucent. Slice tomatoes and add into sausage mixture. Add chicken broth/stock and water. Press ‘slow cook’ on your IP. After 4 hours, turn off and then press ‘soup’. Add in Tortellini and stir; cook for 5 minutes. Add in spinach and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with your choice of bread and beverage.

Bon Appetit!

DISCLAIMER: We were not compensated by any of the products listed above, including Instant Pot or any of the products shown in the photos.