Creamy Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale

A hearty, creamy Italian sausage tortellini soup with tender cheese tortellini, fresh kale, diced tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. This easy one-pot dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword italian sausage soup, tortellini soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 342kcal

Author Bobbie McGraw

Equipment

Ingredients

½ pound mild or hot Italian sausage casings removed
.5 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 can Rotel Tomatoes undrained
.5 tsp Italian seasoning
.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
8 ounces cheese tortellini refrigerateed
2 cups kale tough stems removed
.5 cup heavy cream
.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Instructions
**Brown the sausage.** In a medium soup pot over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage for 5–7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through.
**Add the aromatics.** Stir in the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
**Build the broth.** Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
**Cook the kale.** Add the chopped kale and simmer for about 5 minutes, until it begins to soften.
**Add the tortellini.** Stir in the refrigerated cheese tortellini and cook according to the package directions, usually 3–5 minutes, until tender.
**Make it creamy.** Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Warm gently without boiling vigorously. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed.
**Serve.** Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Time-saving sausage tip:** If you're starting with a frozen one-pound package of ground Italian sausage, thaw it and brown the entire pound. Use half in this soup and freeze the other half in an airtight, freezer-safe container for another meal. You'll have cooked sausage ready the next time you need it.

**For a broth-based soup:** Omit the heavy cream and Parmesan, or simply sprinkle Parmesan over individual servings.

**Spinach substitution:** Replace the kale with fresh spinach and add it during the last 1–2 minutes of cooking.

**Leftovers:** Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. The tortellini will absorb broth as it sits, so add a splash of chicken broth when reheating.

**Freezing:** For best results, freeze the soup base without the tortellini or cream. Add those ingredients when reheating.

**Tortellini:** Refrigerated cheese tortellini works best for the stated cooking time. Frozen tortellini can also be used; follow the package instructions.

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