Sausage Tortellini Soup
A warm and creamy bowl of sausage tortellini soup featuring rich Italian sausage, pillowy cheese tortellini, tender kale, and a silky broth finished with heavy cream—perfect for chilly nights.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet or hot) Based on preference
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1–1½ teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 5 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 2 cups kale, chopped (stems removed)
- 2 cups cheese tortellini (about a 9 oz package)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- to taste salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and diced onion. Cook, breaking the sausage into pieces, until no pink remains and the onions are softened, about 8–10 minutes.
- If there’s more than about 1 tablespoon of grease, drain excess to avoid a greasy broth. Leave a little for flavor.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds — don’t let it burn.
- Sprinkle the flour over the sausage-onion mixture. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to toast the flour and remove the raw taste.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- While stirring, pour in the chicken broth to avoid lumps. Increase heat slightly and bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Add the chopped kale and cheese tortellini. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the tortellini are tender and the kale is wilted but still bright.
- Stir in the heavy cream and warm through gently — do not boil after adding cream to prevent separation.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
Best enjoyed ladled into deep bowls topped with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with crusty bread or garlic toast to soak up the creamy broth.