Description
Sausage Tortellini Soup is a delicious and creamy meal featuring Italian sausage, tender tortellini, and nutritious kale simmered in a flavorful broth enriched with cream and subtle spices. This hearty soup is perfect for a comforting dinner and comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
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
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
Liquids and Pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups tortellini (about 10 ounces, refrigerated or frozen)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sausage and Onion: Remove casings from sausage links if using. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground sausage and diced onion together until the sausage is fully cooked and onions are softened, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add Spices: Mix in dried basil, oregano, cayenne (if using), hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine well.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula to loosen any browned bits. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Simmer with Kale and Tortellini: Add the chopped kale and tortellini to the pot. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to cook the tortellini through. If tortellini requires longer cooking, add it first and add kale in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Season to Taste: Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed, starting with ¼ teaspoon and adding more if desired.
- Serve: Ladle the sausage tortellini soup into bowls and serve immediately. It pairs beautifully with garlic bread topped with cheese.
Notes
- This soup is a quick 30-minute meal perfect for busy weeknights.
- Use either mild or hot Italian sausage depending on your heat preference.
- Mustard powder and hot sauce add subtle but important flavor depth—don’t skip them.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and use dairy-free tortellini or pasta.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.
- You can add extra vegetables like spinach or mushrooms for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 314 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 836 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
