Description
This creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup is a hearty and comforting meal made with flavorful Italian sausage, tender tortellini, nutrient-rich kale, and a rich creamy broth. Perfect for a quick 30-minute meal, it's enhanced with subtle spices like mustard powder and hot sauce to deepen the flavor.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sausage and Aromatics
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Flour and Spices
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Liquids and Greens
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups kale (chopped)
- 2 cups tortellini (just under 10 oz., refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage and Onions: Remove casings from sausage if using links. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook sausage and diced onions together until the onions are softened and sausage is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add Spices: Stir in dried basil, oregano, cayenne pepper (if using), hot sauce, mustard powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Add Broth and Cream: Pour in chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom to release any browned bits. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer.
- Add Kale and Tortellini: Stir in chopped kale and tortellini, allowing them to simmer for 3-5 minutes until kale is tender and tortellini is cooked through. If tortellini requires longer cooking time, add tortellini first and kale during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and season with salt starting with ¼ teaspoon, adding more as needed. Spoon the soup into bowls and serve warm. Great paired with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
- The mustard powder and hot sauce add subtle depth of flavor; do not omit.
- Use refrigerated or frozen tortellini for convenience; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half or whole milk for heavy cream, though the soup will be less rich.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid curdling the cream.
- Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread for a complete meal.
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
