Description
This Sausage Tortellini Soup is a hearty and comforting meal perfect for any day of the week. Featuring Italian sausage, tender tortellini, kale, and a creamy, flavorful broth spiced with herbs and a touch of heat, this soup comes together quickly in just 30 minutes, making it an easy yet satisfying dish for busy households.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Thickener
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Texas Pete or Frank’s)
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Broth and Add-ins
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 2 cups tortellini (refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Brown Sausage and Onions: Remove casings from the Italian sausage if necessary. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage and diced onions over medium-high heat until the sausage is fully cooked and the onions are translucent. Drain any excess grease to keep the soup from being too oily. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make Roux: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the sausage and onion mixture. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a roux that will help thicken the soup.
- Add Spices and Herbs: Stir in dried basil, oregano, cayenne pepper (if using), hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes evenly into the roux and sausage mixture to build the soup’s flavor base.
- Create Broth: Pour in the chicken broth slowly while scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any flavorful browned bits. Then, slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently.
- Add Tortellini and Kale: Add the tortellini to the simmering broth and cook according to the package instructions, generally 3 to 5 minutes until they are tender. Add the chopped kale during the last 5 minutes of cooking to wilt it without overcooking.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed. Serve hot, ideally accompanied by crusty bread or garlic bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use either hot or mild Italian sausage depending on your spice preference.
- Cayenne pepper is optional; omit if you prefer less heat.
- Fresh kale can be substituted with other greens like spinach, but adjust cooking times accordingly.
- For a thicker soup, add a little more flour to the roux, or for a thinner soup, add extra chicken broth.
- Refrigerated or frozen tortellini both work well; adjust cooking time to package instructions.
- Leftovers reheat well and flavors often deepen after a day.
