Description
Italian sausage tortellini soup combines hearty ingredients for a comforting meal. Pasta, vegetables, and rich broth create a satisfying dish that brings warmth to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 9 oz (250g) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups (120g) fresh spinach or kale, chopped
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sizzle sausage in a capacious pot over medium-high heat, methodically fragmenting the protein until achieving a caramelized golden-brown exterior. Drain excess fat for optimal culinary clarity.
- Vegetable Foundation: Introduce aromatic mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery) into the rendered meat base. Sauté until vegetables soften and release their nuanced essences, then incorporate minced garlic, allowing its pungent notes to permeate the mixture.
- Liquid Infusion: Pour chicken broth into the robust base, blending diced tomatoes, dried herbs (basil, oregano), and optional red pepper flakes. Simmer gently, permitting flavors to meld and intensify, creating a harmonious liquid landscape.
- Creamy Transformation: Integrate heavy cream into the simmering concoction, establishing a luxurious silken texture. Submerge tortellini completely, cooking until pasta achieves perfect al dente consistency – tender yet structurally resilient.
- Final Embellishment: Gently fold verdant greens (spinach or kale) into the soup, allowing them to wilt gracefully. Season comprehensively with salt and freshly ground black pepper, calibrating to taste preferences. Garnish with aged Parmesan and serve alongside crusty artisan bread for a complete gastronomic experience.
Notes
- Optimize Sausage Browning: Ensure high heat and avoid overcrowding the pot to achieve a deep golden-brown color, which develops rich, caramelized flavor profiles.
- Vegetable Precision: Dice vegetables uniformly for consistent cooking and texture, allowing each ingredient to release maximum flavor without becoming mushy.
- Cream Integration Technique: Temper heavy cream by slowly stirring and maintaining low heat to prevent curdling, creating a smooth and silky soup consistency.
- Tortellini Timing Mastery: Add pasta towards the end of cooking to prevent overcooking, keeping tortellini tender and preventing them from becoming soggy or falling apart.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 586
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 951mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 115mg