Description
This creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup is a comforting and easy-to-make meal packed with flavorful ground Italian sausage, tender tortellini, fresh kale, and a rich broth enhanced with cream and aromatic spices. Perfect for a hearty dinner, it takes just 30 minutes from start to finish and pairs wonderfully with garlic bread.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Seasonings and Flour
- 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
Liquids and Greens
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups kale (chopped)
- 2 cups tortellini (just under 10 ounces, refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the sausage and aromatics: Remove the casings from the sausage if using links. Cook and crumble the sausage along with the diced onion over medium-high heat until the onions are softened and the sausage is fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add flour and cook: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage mixture and stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, forming a roux to thicken the soup.
- Season the soup base: Stir in the dried basil, oregano, cayenne pepper (if using), hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, combining thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly.
- Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula to deglaze and collect any browned bits. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cook kale and tortellini: Add the chopped kale and tortellini to the simmering soup. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tortellini are tender and kale is wilted. For tortellini needing longer to cook, add it before the kale and add kale during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Season to taste and serve: Taste the soup and add salt starting with ¼ teaspoon, adjusting as desired. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and enjoy hot, ideally with garlic bread with cheese on the side.
Notes
- Mustard powder and hot sauce add subtle complexity to the soup’s flavor and should not be skipped.
- Use refrigerated or frozen tortellini for convenience and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Drain sausage grease to keep the soup from becoming too greasy.
- Pair the soup with garlic bread for a complete hearty meal.
- Feel free to use mild or hot Italian sausage depending on your spice preference.
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
