Sausage Tortellini Soup
This hearty Sausage Tortellini Soup is a satisfying meal in itself. It's loaded with Italian flavor from cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and kale in a rich, tomato based broth. Don't forget the Parmesan!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 416kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage (or uncooked links with casings removed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 small bunch kale (curly green or Lacinto) chopped, rinsed, and drained
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes (real Italian tomatoes) are highly recommended
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 to 10 ounces cheese tortellini (refrigerated)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook until completely crumbled and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a double layer of paper towels and blot with additional paper towels to remove as much excess grease as possible. Pour off or wipe excess grease from the pan.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add onion, garlic, kale, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, for two or three minutes, or until the onion has softened and the kale is slightly wilted. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, cooked sausage, Italian seasoning, and basil. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil then reduce the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and stir in the tortellini. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the tortellini is tender. Stir in the Parmesan and remove from the heat.
- Garnish individual servings with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
How to Chop Kale
- Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board. Fold one side of the kale over the other so that stem is on one side and the leaves are on the other side.
- Use a sharp knife to slice away the tough stem and discard it.
- Then, roll up and chop the leaves as desired.
- Rinse the chopped kale in a colander or salad spinner before adding to the soup.
- Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup - Add ½ cup or more of heavy cream or half and half to tone down and soften the tomato based broth for a creamy version of this soup.
- Vegetarian Sausage Tortellini Soup - Replace the Italian sausage with a plant based sausage, like Impossible brand.
- Lighten it up - Use ground turkey sausage in place of pork Italian sausage to save on fat and calories.
- Baby spinach - To use baby spinach in place of the kale, stir it in with the tortellini and cook just until wilted. Spinach is far more tender than kale and will wilt quickly when stirred into hot liquid.
- Refrigerator - Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat leftovers, thin out to desired consistency with a little water or additional chicken broth before warming it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freezer - Omit the tortellini and ladle the cooled soup into a freezer-safe plastic storage bag or other airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove, adding the tortellini and cooking just until it's tender and warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 724mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3658IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 4mg