Spicy Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven For stovetop cooking. Cast iron Dutch ovens hold heat well and develop rich flavor.
- Slow cooker (optional) If you’re going for a crock pot tortellini soup version, this is perfect.
- Wooden spoon Great for breaking up the sausage and stirring the soup.
- Ladle For serving.
- Sharp knife & cutting board For prepping your vegetables and kale.
Ingredients
Proteins & Dairy
- 1 lb spicy Italian sausage casings removed; mild sausage if preferred
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream for that creamy finish
Vegetables
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chopped fresh kale ribs removed (or substitute with fresh spinach)
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
Broth & Seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth preferably low-sodium
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pasta
- 1 9 oz package refrigerated cheese tortellini (or frozen tortellini if that's what you have)
Instructions
Brown the Sausage
- Heat your pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the spicy Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through—about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. If you're doing a crockpot version, you can still brown the sausage beforehand for better flavor.
Sauté the Aromatics
- In the same pot (don’t drain the sausage fat—it’s flavor gold), reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant—about 30 seconds.
Add Broth and Tomatoes
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced tomatoes with their juice. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the flavors meld for 10 minutes.
Stir in the Kale and Tortellini
- Add your chopped kale and tortellini. Cook according to the tortellini package instructions—usually 5–7 minutes—until the tortellini are tender and floating.
Note: If you're doing a crockpot tortellini soup version, hold off on adding the tortellini until the last 30 minutes of cooking. You can cook everything else on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
Make it Creamy
- Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and heat everything through. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve and Garnish
- Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and maybe a few chili flakes if you like it spicy.