Pizza Soup

My family loves soup and they love pizza.  I thought it might be fun to mix the two.  Add whatever topping you like on your pizza.

PIZZA SOUP
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
*1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
*1 large yellow onion, chopped
*1 green bell pepper, chopped
*1 red bell pepper, chopped
*1 cups mushrooms, slice (optional)
*3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced very thin
*1 large tomato, chopped
*1 (15 ounce) jar pizza sauce (I make my own)
*1 (6 ounce) tomato paste
*1 cup water (add more water if soup is to thick)
*3 cups beef stock
*1/2 pound pepperoni, sliced and cut in quarters
*1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
*1 tablespoon, parsley flakes
*1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
*1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
*2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
*1 1/2 cups cooked macaroni noodles, or 1 cup cooked rice, or croutons
*12 slices of mozzarella or provolone cheese or 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Directions:
~In a medium skillet, cook sausage, chopping it as it cooks.
~Once sausage is cooked, drain grease and set aside.
~In a large stock pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
~Sauté red pepper, green pepper,  mushrooms and onion for around 2 minutes.
~Add garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
~Add tomato, pizza sauce, tomato paste, water, beef stock, pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, marjoram, and oregano.
~Bring to a boil.
~Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
~While soup is simmering, cook macaroni noodles as directed on box, drain and set aside.
   Cook rice as directed on bag, set aside.
   If making your own croutons,  bake until crispy and set aside.
~You can serve this three ways.
   1) Add cooked rice to soup and mix.  Ladle soup into oven safe bowls and top with cheese and put under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
   2) Add macaroni into oven safe bowls.  Ladle soup over noodles and top with mozzarella cheese. Place under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
~Ladle soup into oven safe bowls and top with croutons and then cheese.  Place under a broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Instant Pot Directions: 

~Set Instant Pot to sauté mode.

~Once liner is hot, add sausage cooking until it's browned, chopping it as it cooks.

~Drain any excess grease and set sausage aside.

~Add vegetable oil.

~Sauté red pepper, green pepper,  mushrooms and onion for around 2 minutes.

~Add garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
~Add tomato, pizza sauce, tomato paste, water, beef stock, pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, marjoram, oregano and cooked sausage.
~Place lid on and set valve to seal.

~Pressure cook for 15 minutes.

~While soup is cooking, cook your rice or noodles.

~Quick release.

Decisions

`Add Rice to soup and mix. Ladle soup into oven safe bowls and top with cheese and put under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

`Add macaroni into oven safe bowls.  Ladle soup over noodles and top with mozzarella cheese. Place under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
`Ladle soup into oven safe bowls and top with croutons and then cheese.  Place under a broiler for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.