Description
This hearty and creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup combines spicy Italian sausage, tender tortellini, and nutritious kale in a flavorful broth enriched with cream and a blend of spices. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect comforting meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale, chopped
Dry Ingredients and Spices
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
Liquids and Other
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups tortellini (just under 10 oz., refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Sausage and Onions: Remove casings from the sausage if using links. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the sausage with the diced onion until the onions soften and sausage is fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle in the flour and stir well, cooking for 1-2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste, which will help thicken the soup later on.
- Incorporate Spices: Stir in dried basil, oregano, optional cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to evenly coat the sausage mixture and build depth of flavor.
- Add Broth and Cream: Pour in the chicken broth, using a silicone spatula to scrape and loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, then bring the entire soup to a boil before reducing heat to a simmer.
- Simmer Tortellini and Kale: Add chopped kale and tortellini to the soup. Let them simmer together for 3-5 minutes until the tortellini is cooked through and the kale is tender. If your tortellini requires longer cooking, add it first and the kale during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Season to Taste: Taste the soup and then gradually add salt starting with ¼ teaspoon, increasing if necessary to suit your preference.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. This soup pairs wonderfully with garlic bread topped with cheese for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- The mustard powder and hot sauce add subtle layers of flavor that enhance the overall taste, so do include them even if hesitant.
- You can choose hot or mild Italian sausage based on your preferred spice level.
- If using frozen tortellini, there’s no need to thaw before adding it to the soup.
- To make cleanup easier, use a silicone spatula to scrape any stuck bits from the pot when adding broth.
- Adjust the cayenne and red pepper flakes to control the heat according to your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
