Description
This creamy sausage tortellini soup is a hearty, 30-minute one-pot dinner made with flavorful Italian sausage, tender tortellini, vibrant kale, and a rich, seasoned broth. It’s the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights and beginner cooks looking to create quick and healthy meals without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (for garnish)
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 2 cups cheese tortellini (refrigerated or frozen, approx. 10 oz)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage and aromatics: Remove sausage casings if necessary and cook the sausage and diced onions in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned and the onions are translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Drain any excess fat and stir in the garlic, cooking for about one minute until fragrant.
- Build the base: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sausage mixture and stir thoroughly to combine. Cook for 1–2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste and create a light roux that will help thicken the soup.
- Add seasonings and liquids: Stir in the basil, oregano, mustard powder, hot sauce, cayenne, and black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits, and then slowly stir in the heavy cream. Increase the heat slightly and bring the soup to a gentle boil before reducing it to a simmer.
- Incorporate tortellini and greens: Add the chopped kale and tortellini to the pot. Let everything simmer together for 3–5 minutes until the pasta is tender and the kale is softened. If you’re using spinach instead, wait to add it until the tortellini is fully cooked, then stir it in just until wilted.
- Taste and serve: Taste the soup and add salt as needed. Serve hot, topped with a pinch of red pepper flakes and optional grated Parmesan cheese or a side of garlic bread.
Notes
- For even more depth of flavor, add a Parmesan rind while simmering the soup, removing it before serving.
- If planning to store leftovers, consider boiling tortellini separately and adding it fresh to each bowl.
- Use mild sausage for a kid-friendly version or hot sausage for extra spice.
- You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and tortellini.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 314 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 836 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg