Description
Hearty Sausage Tortellini Soup brings Italian comfort straight to dinner tables with rich, warming flavors. Packed with savory sausage, tender cheese tortellini, and aromatic herbs, you’ll savor each comforting spoonful of this satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 9 ounces (250g) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups (120g) fresh spinach or kale, chopped
Liquids, Seasonings, and Dairy:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 4 cups (960ml) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Render the ground sausage in a spacious cooking vessel over medium-high temperature, methodically fragmenting the meat while it caramelizes to a rich golden brown, approximately 5-7 minutes. Eliminate superfluous rendering fat if necessary.
- Incorporate aromatic vegetables – onions, carrots, and celery – into the meat-infused pan. Sauté until vegetables soften and develop translucent edges, roughly 5-7 minutes. Introduce minced garlic and toast briefly until fragrant.
- Cascade chicken broth and diced tomatoes into the vegetable mixture. Enhance with dried herbal seasonings like basil and oregano, and optional spicy red pepper flakes. Allow liquid to gently simmer, melding flavors for 10-15 minutes.
- Stream heavy cream into the simmering soup, reestablishing a delicate bubbling temperature. Carefully fold tortellini into the liquid, cooking according to package recommendations – approximately 5-7 minutes for fresh pasta, 10-12 minutes for frozen varieties.
- Gently fold fresh leafy greens – spinach or kale – into the bubbling soup. Allow greens to wilt and integrate for 1-2 minutes. Calibrate seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to personal preference.
- Transfer the aromatic soup into serving vessels. Garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Accompany with rustic, crusty bread for a complete culinary experience.
Notes
- Drain excess fat from sausage to reduce overall soup greasiness and create a cleaner, lighter flavor profile.
- Choose Italian sausage with moderate spice level to balance the soup’s overall taste without overwhelming other ingredients.
- Consider using low-sodium chicken broth to control salt content, allowing individual seasoning preference during serving.
- Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or milk for lighter version, maintaining creamy texture while reducing caloric density.
- Replace meat-based sausage with plant-based alternatives like vegan sausage or extra mushrooms for vegetarian adaptation.
- Add fresh herbs like chopped parsley or basil just before serving to enhance freshness and provide bright, aromatic finishing touch.
- Select quick-cooking tortellini to prevent overcooking and maintain proper pasta texture within soup’s liquid environment.
- Prep vegetables uniformly to ensure consistent cooking and balanced texture throughout the soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 100mg