Category: Italian

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

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Course Soup
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage casing removed, or mild if preferred
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 c chicken stock
  • 1 (398 ml) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (398 ml) can crushed tomatoes * see note below
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 (350 g) package tortellini
  • 2 small zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half rounds
  • 1 c heavy cream
  • baby spinach two handfuls, but usually I add a whole large container…
  • freshly grated Parmesan for serving
  • crushed red pepper flakes for serving (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pot over med-high heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic and cook, breaking up the meat, until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in chicken stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste until fully blended. Bring to a boil and add salt, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in tortellini, zucchini, and cream. Cook until the pasta is tender, 3-5 minutes. Add spinach and stir, let sit until wilted.
  • Serve with Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

  • I have trouble finding a small can of crushed tomatoes, so I’ve been buying a second can of diced tomatoes and hitting it with an immersion blender.

Keto Lasagna

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Ingredients
  

For the "Noodles"

  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 ¼ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp onion powder

For the Filling

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 ½ cups Marinara Sauce divided
  • ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 6 tablespoons whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions
 

For the "Noodles"

  • Preheat oven to 375° Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and eggs.
  • Next, add Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
  • Using a rubber spatula, fold in mozzarella cheese and mix until well incorporated.
  • Spread the mixture into the baking dish, forming a nice even layer.
  • Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • When the “noodles” are done baking, cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes and then cut into thirds. This makes three perfectly sized “noodle” layers for an 8.5 X 4.5 X 2.5 loaf pan.

For the Filling

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the ground beef, onion, oregano, garlic powder, dried basil and a pinch of salt. Cook until the meat is browned.
  • Drain excess fat from pan and add 1 cup marinara sauce to meat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Putting it together

  • Pour ¼ cup marinara sauce into bottom of loaf pan. Top with the first “noodle” layer
  • Layer a third of the ground beef mixture. Top with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese and 3 tablespoon ricotta cheese, and cover with another “noodle” layer. Repeat these steps.
  • Cover the top “noodle” layer with remaining meat sauce, marinara and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over top. Bake for 20 minutes.

Notes

Marinara Sauce

Keto Italian Sausage Soup

Keto Italian Sausage Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 c chicken stock
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 lb Italian sausage mild or hot
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
  • 1 zucchini small, chopped
  • 2 c spinach chopped
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the onion, garlic, and Italian sausage to cook for 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft and meat browned.
  • Pour in three cups of the stock, then add the zucchini, basil, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne pepper (if using), and diced tomatoes.
  • Bring to a boil then lower the heat to simmer.
  • Place the remaining cup of stock and cream cheese in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the rest of the soup and stir.
  • Mix in the chopped spinach and once wilted serve the soup or allow to simmer for another half hour or more for the flavors to combine.
  • Serve topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Carbonara

Chicken Carbonara

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 1 Tbsp bacon grease
  • 1/2 c onion chopped
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 c heavy whipping cream
  • 1 c chicken broth
  • 1 egg beaten, optional
  • 1/3 c Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
  • 2-3 c fresh spinach

Instructions
 

  • Cook bacon, and crumble it into small pieces.
  • Place 1 tbsp of the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add chicken to the skillet, and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Saute chicken until completely cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  • Add chopped onion to the skillet, and saute a few minutes until beginning to become tender.
  • Add garlic, saute until fragrant.
  • Whisk in heavy cream and chicken broth, scraping the bits off the bottom of the skillet.
  • Beat the egg in a small bowl, then slowly stream about half the sauce into the egg while whisking it vigorously. Once mixed, slowly add the egg mixture back to the skillet while whisking.
  • Mix in the Parmesan, chopped basil and Italian seasoning.
  • Toss in crumbled bacon and spinach. Cook until the spinach has begun to wilt.
  • Add chicken back into the skillet, and toss to coat in the sauce. Sprinkle in additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer the mixture for 3-5 minutes longer, and serve.

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 c heavy cream
  • ½ c chicken broth
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • ½ c parmesan cheese
  • 1 c spinach chopped
  • ½ c sun dried tomatoes

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet add olive oil and cook the chicken on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown on each side and cooked until no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
  • Add the heavy cream, chicken broth, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese. Whisk over medium high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and let it simmer until the spinach starts to wilt. Add the chicken back to the pan, serve at once.

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms

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Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tbsp butter divided
  • pinch salt
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 6-10 cloves garlic slicedhalf or finely diced (I like big chunks of garlic but realize most don't)
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms stems removed and wiped clean
  • 1 c chicken stock
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes depending on your desired spicy level
  • 1/2 c diced cilantro optional
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat a heavy pan on medium high until very hot.
  • Add butter, swirl around pan, and let melt.
  • When butter is foamy and melted, add chicken thighs.
  • Very lightly salt chicken thighs (ONE pinch for all things - don't overdo it!)
  • Cook chicken thighs 5 minutes on each side, until lovely golden brown.
  • When chicken thighs are well browned, remove from pan - do not drain pan grease.
  • Add garlic to pan, stir well.
  • Add mushrooms to pan, stirring occasionally to keep mushrooms and garlic from burning.
  • Add second half of butter to pan, let melt.
  • Let garlic and mushrooms brown - about 4-6 minutes. Do not let garlic burn, reduce heat if needed.
  • Add red pepper flakes (add slowly according to your taste) and cilantro when chicken and mushrooms are lovely golden browned.
  • Add stock, lemon juice, and cheese.
  • Stir well, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan.
  • Bring to a boil, let reduce and thicken slightly for 2 minutes.
  • Add chicken thighs back to pan, let sauce reduce another 5-8 minutes, flipping chicken occasionally, until thick and chicken thighs are 165 internal temp.

Tuscan Butter Salmon

Tuscan Butter Salmon

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 salmon fillets patted dry with paper towels, 6-oz
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 c baby spinach
  • 1 lb mushrooms your choice
  • 1/2 c heavy cream
  • 1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 c chopped herbs plus more for garnish, such as basil and parsley
  • Lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering but not smoking, add salmon skin side up and cook until deeply golden, about 6 minutes. Flip over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When butter has melted, stir in garlic and mushrooms and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst, then add spinach. Cook until spinach is beginning to wilt.
  • Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and herbs and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
  • Return salmon back to skillet and spoon over sauce. Simmer until salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
  • Garnish with more herbs and squeeze lemon on top before serving.

Keto Italian Sausage Stir-fry

Keto Italian Sausage Stir-fry

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cabbage
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1 leek thinly sliced
  • 4 tbsp fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup sour cream for serving

Instructions
 

  • Shred the green cabbage finely with a cheese slicer, sharp knife or in a food processor.
  • Fry the cabbage in about half of the butter (or substitute olive oil) in a large frying pan or wok on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until just softened.
  • Add vinegar, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Stir and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Reserve sautéed cabbage to a bowl.
  • Heat the rest of the butter or oil in the pan. Add the garlic and leeks, and sauté for a minute.
  • Add meat, and continue frying until cooked through. Sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  • Add tomato paste and mix well. Lower the heat a little and add reserved cabbage and fresh basil. Stir until cooked through.
  • Adjust seasoning and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1/2 c onion diced, about 1/2 medium sized onion
  • 1 Tbsp garlic minced
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 c beef stock
  • 1/2 c red wine
  • 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 9 oz pkg tortellini
  • 2 cups packed fresh spinach

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Heat vegetable oil and add diced onion. Saute until onions are soft.
  • Crumble Italian Sausage and garlic with the onion. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
  • Stir in crushed tomatoes, beef broth, wine, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes.
  • Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes, until pasta is tender.
  • Serve with shredded Parmesan.