Tortellini Soup
This Tortellini Soup combines spicy Italian chicken sausage, lots of broth, pillowy tortellini, good marinara, and a big handful of kale. Top it all off with grated parmesan to your heart’s desire and some fresh basil.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- large Dutch oven or large stock pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound spicy Italian chicken sausage (if using pork you will need less oil)
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ¼ cup marinara sauce (Roa’s brand)
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 10 ounces cheese tortellini (Giovanni Rana brand)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups (2 ounces) kale stems removed, torn into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces allowing it to brown for about 5 minutes.
- Add a bit more olive oil if needed, and then add the onion, garlic, celery and salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Cook for another 4 minutes, we want the spices to toast and the tomato paste to darken a bit.
- Now add the marinara and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes to let the flavors marry. Taste for seasoning and add more salt to your liking.
- Add the tortellini to the simmering soup. They should be perfectly cooked in about 3 minutes, but check your packaging for the exact cook time.
- Stir in the heavy cream, grated parmesan, kale, and basil, then turn off the heat. The kale will wilt into the soup from the residual heat.
- Serve the soup in deep bowls with more grated parmesan and fresh basil on top.
Notes
Quick Tips
Let the sausage brown. Give it a little time between stirs to develop color. This is where the flavor comes from. Cook the tomato paste. It should darken slightly before you add the broth. Again, this is another opportunity to deepen the flavor. Watch the tortellini. Add them after the broth has simmered so they don’t overcook. Adjust the heat. For a milder soup, use mild Italian sausage and reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.Make Ahead, Storage, & Reheating
Make Ahead: For the best tortellini texture, make the soup through the broth-simmering step and save the pasta and finishing ingredients for serving. Storage: This will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days, but I suggest removing the tortellini before storing. The tortellini will continue to absorb the liquid and will eventually become soggy. Still edible but not as appetizing in my opinion! Reheating: Bring the soup to a simmer, then add fresh tortellini and basil.Nutrition
Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 3540mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2467IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 5mg
