Description
Hearty spicy sausage and tortellini soup brings comfort during cold winter nights. Robust Italian flavors combine with tender pasta and savory meat, creating a satisfying meal that you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 can (14 oz/396 g) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 package (9 oz/255 g) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups baby spinach or kale, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed for sauteing)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Extra red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat a large pot over medium flame, creating an optimal cooking environment for the robust flavors to develop.
- Sausage Foundations: Crumble Italian sausage into the pot, browning thoroughly and breaking apart with a wooden spoon to create caramelized edges and release deep, meaty flavors.
- Aromatic Base: Drain excess fat, leaving a thin layer, then sauté onions until translucent and add garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning, stirring vigorously to awaken their intense aromatics.
- Liquid Integration: Pour in diced tomatoes and chicken broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer and allowing the flavors to harmonize and intensify.
- Pasta and Greens Incorporation: Add tortellini to the simmering liquid, cooking until plump, then introduce baby spinach or kale, letting the greens wilt and meld into the soup’s rich landscape.
- Creamy Finishing: Stir in heavy cream to create a luxurious, velvety texture, and conduct a final seasoning adjustment with salt and black pepper.
- Serving Flourish: Ladle the steaming soup into bowls, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, torn basil leaves, and an optional sprinkle of red pepper flakes, accompanied by crusty artisan bread or garlic toast.
Notes
- Control Sausage Fat: Drain most of the rendered fat after browning to prevent an overly greasy soup, but keep a thin layer for deeper flavor complexity.
- Tortellini Timing: Add tortellini near the end of cooking to prevent overcooking, ensuring they remain tender and maintain their delicate cheese-filled texture.
- Cream Integration Technique: Temper heavy cream by slowly stirring it into the hot soup to prevent curdling, creating a smooth and silky consistency.
- Dietary Adaptation Options: Swap Italian sausage with plant-based sausage for vegetarian version, use gluten-free tortellini for celiac-friendly alternative, and substitute dairy-free cream for lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg