Description
Rich, hearty sausage tortellini soup delivers comfort in a bowl, blending Italian-inspired flavors with rustic warmth. Cheese-filled pasta and savory sausage create a soul-satisfying meal you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
Produce:
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale, chopped
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 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
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups tortellini (about 10 ounces / 283 grams, refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high temperature and thoroughly brown the sausage with diced onions, breaking the meat into small crumbles until completely cooked and onions become translucent, approximately 8-10 minutes. Carefully drain any accumulated fat.
- Introduce minced garlic to the sausage mixture and sauté briefly until aromatic, releasing its intense flavor profile.
- Dust the meat and onion combination with flour, stirring continuously to create a uniform coating. Allow the mixture to toast for 1-2 minutes, eliminating raw flour notes. Incorporate an array of seasonings including basil, oregano, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, ensuring every morsel is thoroughly seasoned.
- Gradually pour chicken broth into the pot, using a wooden spoon to deglaze and lift caramelized bits from the bottom. Slowly integrate heavy cream, creating a luxurious base. Bring the liquid to a gentle bubbling state, then reduce to a soft simmer.
- Introduce chopped kale and tortellini to the simmering liquid. Cook until pasta reaches perfect tenderness, typically 3-5 minutes. For dried tortellini requiring longer cooking, add pasta first and incorporate kale during the final cooking moments.
- Carefully assess the soup’s seasoning, incrementally adding salt to enhance the overall flavor complexity. Begin with a conservative quarter teaspoon and adjust according to taste preferences.
- Serve the soup piping hot in deep bowls. Consider garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or accompanying with a crusty bread slice for a complete dining experience.
Notes
- Drain sausage thoroughly to prevent excess grease from making the soup too oily and heavy.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk to reduce calories and fat content.
- Consider using pre-cooked tortellini to reduce overall cooking time and maintain pasta texture.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes according to personal spice preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg