Creamy Meatball Ravioli Soup

I remember eating a soup similar to this as a kid, only I'm pretty sure it came out of a can. Mini meatballs and ravioli swimming in a creamy tomato soup. Using pre-made Italian sausage (mine was halal) saves you time, and boosts the flavour up a bunch - you're basically poaching the meatballs in the soup to cook them, so all the meaty juiciness seeps into the broth. Throw in some cheesy stuffed ravioli and a creamy spiced tomato soup broth, this one will please even picker eaters.

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Creamy Meatball Ravioli Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Yield: 6-8 bowls

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup butter

• 2 tbs olive oil

• 2 small white onions, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

• 2 long red chilies, tops removed

• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tbs Italian seasoning

• 680 grams crushed or diced tomatoes (canned or jarred)

• 6 cups of water or broth of choice

• 315 grams spicy Italian sausage, rolled into 50 mini meatballs (I used Halal sausage)

• 1 cup half and half cream

• 400 grams spinach and cheese ravioli** (sub tortellini)

• Parmesan cheese to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and bubbly, add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and chilies if using. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, till translucent and starting to brown.

2. Add the crushed tomato, water/broth, and some more salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil on medium and simmer for another 7-8 minutes.

3. While the soup is simmering, prepare the meatballs. Remove the sausage from the casing and roll into small half bite sized meatballs. I got about 50 meatballs from my sausages.

4. Drop the meatballs into the simmering soup one by one, and allow it to simmer for another 7-8 minutes, until the meatballs are fully cooked.

5. Add the half and half and stir well until it's fully combined. Add the ravioli, and taste for salt. If necessary, add some more here and then allow the soup to simmer until the ravioli is fully cooked, about 6-8 minutes.

6. Serve the soup immediately with parmesan cheese on top.

NOTES

• **You can use any flavour of ravioli that you like for this recipe.

• You can also use tortellini instead of ravioli again, in any flavour.