Ravioli Soup

Simple, cozy and addictively delicious are all words I’d use to describe today’s Ravioli Soup. It’s our version of the creamy tortellini soup that’s been gracing the internet for the past few years but I’d argue ours is one of the best both for its flavor and simplicity.

A play on penne alla vodka and classic tortellini soup, this tomato-based soup studded with sweet Italian sausage, crisp carrots and tender cheese ravioli is a meal every single person in my family will inhale in a heartbeat.

What’s even better is the price tag of this unfussy ravioli soup comes in at under $20, takes less than 30 minutes to make and will leave you light on your toes despite a scant addition of heavy cream.

Let’s go!

Ingredients

Sausage. If it were just my husband and I eating this, I would use regular or spicy italian sausage. However my children believe they have an aversion to anything with even the slightest hint of spice so we typically go with sweet Italian sausage. I love to find one that has flecks of fennel seed in it but any variety will do.

Veggies. Simple is where it’s at. A little onion and plenty of diced carrot. You could also throw in celery, peppers, or zucchini if you’d like.

Vodka. I’m quite infatuated with vodka sauce so I wanted to have that flavor profile in soup form. The vodka adds a sweet, sort of acidic bite to the sauce I adore. Don’t worry the vodka cooks out.

Tomato sauce. When it comes to soups, I usually use tomato paste as it adds a really rich, deep tomato flavor and helps to thicken the soup. However, here I wanted to soup to retain it’s brothy texture with just a hint of tomato flavor. Enter: tomato sauce.

Broth. Use low-sodium chicken broth.Vegetable stock or broth also works. Do not use bone broth as it will overpower the soup.

Spices. We don’t need to add much here since Italian sausage innately has spices in it already but we do like to throw in a little bit of garlic powder and dried oregano. Again, if it were just my husband and I, I would also throw in a few pinches of red pepper flake for heat.

Parm rind. I’m pretty sure I throw one of these in every single soup and sauce I make. It adds saltiness, richness, umami – all of the things. Be sure to use a parmigiano reggiano rind.

Ravioli. Okay so typically you see this type of soup with tortellini BUT I love the cheese to pasta ratio in ravioli. After it cooks and when you cut into it, the cheesy, creamy center tends to ooze out into the brothy soup making it even more luscious than it was before.

Spinach. I will add baby spinach to just about anything. Both for the color and added health benefits.

Cream. A finishing touch of cream is just want this ravioli soup needs in the end. If you are morally against, leave it out but know it will be better if you just throw it in.

Let’s make Ravioli Soup

Brown the sausage. Whenever I’m browning meat, I like to start with a hot skillet to get a nice sear on the meat. Quickly break up the meat with a wooden spoon, then leave it alone. Continue to brown the sausage until it’s crispy and cooked through.

Saute the veggies. Add the carrot and onion to the sausage mixture. You shouldn’t need to add any oil as the residual grease from the sausage should be enough to coat the veggies. Cook the veggies until they start to soften and give off a glimmer of moisture.

Add the vodka. Pour the vodka in! It will bubble furiously and that’s okay. Reduce the heat down to a simmer and let it chill out until it’s reduce by half.

Simmer. Add everything but the ravioli, spinach and cream. Bring it all to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. I like to simmer this portion first to intensify the flavor of the broth with the parmesan cheese rind. Adding the ravioli too early will cause it to overcook and spill all the contents of the filling.

Finish. Once the rind and sausage have appropriately flavored the broth it’s time to finish the soup. First, season with salt and pepper. Next gently add the ravioli to the simmering broth. Stir in the spinach and cream. Simmer the mixture until the ravioli is tender and the spinach is wilted. Season to taste one more time. Garnish with an obscene amount of parmesan cheese.

Can I make Ravioli Soup in Advance?

Yes! Actually I think that’s a great idea. The longer the parmesan cheese rind sits in the broth, the more delicious it will get. However, be sure you don’t add the ravioli. Bring the soup back up to a simmer before serving and add the ravioli. Cook as instructed. You CAN add the spinach and cream ahead of time.

With that said, the soup is really delicious leftover. Even if the ravioli gets a little softer than I’d like. Keep in mine the pasta will soak up the broth so you will have a thicker soup.

Tips and Tricks

• If you want to cut 11 grams of fat out per serving, reduce the amount of Italian sausage to half a pound.
• Be sure to give the broth enough time to simmer. This is a simple soup which means it needs a bit of time to develop flavor.
• If you don’t have time to let the parmesan cheese rind cook, you could also grate in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese instead.
• Don’t overcook the ravioli! Fresh ravioli only takes minutes to cook so be sure to add it later.