My favorite soup is an entire Italian meal in a bowl — a tasty tortellini soup topped with garlic bread and mozzarella cheese!

So a few months back, I entered it in the first Rao’s Homemade Zuppa Bowl, and I won!!!

It’s simple to make and vegetarian too — though feel free to toss some pepperoni on top if you’d like.

Italian Dinner Soup

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil (I use a garlic infused one)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 jar of Rao’s Homemade marinara sauce (24 oz)
• 32 oz vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp Calabrian chili pepper paste (if you don’t have this, just use red pepper chili flakes to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 1 10 oz package of cheese tortellini
• French bread
• garlic bread spread
• mozzarella cheese
• pepperoni (optional)

Over medium heat saute the onion in the olive oil until softened and semi-translucent. Then add the garlic, mushrooms and bell pepper and saute until the other vegetables are softened (around ten minutes). Then pour in the chopped tomatoes, Rao’s marinara sauce, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, Calabrian chili pepper paste and salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Once the soup is at a boil, lower to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

In the meantime cut four thick slices of French bread and cover with your favorite garlic bread spread. Toast under a broiler until nicely crisped and browned. Set aside.

Bring the soup back up to a low boil and add the tortellini. Cook for the recommended cooking time on the package, though you might need to cook it a little longer until you get it to the texture you want.

Once the tortellini is at texture you want, ladle soup into some oven-safe bowls leaving enough space for the garlic bread and cheese. Top the soup with a slice of garlic bread and a generous amount of mozzarella cheese (and pepperoni if you want). Put the bowls on a foil lined baking sheet, and place under the broiler until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Enjoy!!