Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne, optional
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 2 cups tortellini, just under 10 oz. (refrigerated or frozen)
- Salt/ to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage and onions: Start by removing the casings from your sausage if needed. Heat your soup pot over medium-high heat and toss in the sausage and diced onions. You’ll want to cook them until the sausage is browned and crumbly, and the onions are soft. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to drain the grease afterward—trust me, I’ve forgotten this step before and ended up with a soup that was a little too oily!
- Add the garlic: Toss in the minced garlic and cook for just about a minute. You don’t want to burn it, just get it nice and fragrant.
- Incorporate the flour: Sprinkle the flour over the sausage mixture and cook it for a minute or two. This helps to thicken the soup and removes that raw flour taste.
- Season it up: Stir in your basil, oregano, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I love this part—your kitchen will start to smell incredible!
- Add the liquids: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, using your spatula to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (those bits are packed with flavor!). Stir in the heavy cream as well. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Add the kale and tortellini: If your tortellini takes a little longer to cook, add it in first. Otherwise, toss the kale and tortellini in together and simmer for 3-5 minutes. The tortellini should be tender, and the kale should have softened but still hold some texture.
- Final taste test: Give the soup a taste and add salt if needed. I usually start with about ¼ teaspoon and go from there.
Notes
Serving suggestions: make it a meal
This soup is practically a meal on its own, but if you’re looking to round it out, I always serve it with a side of garlic bread or crusty baguette. The bread is perfect for dipping and sopping up all that creamy, delicious broth. A light side salad with a tangy vinaigrette would also pair well to balance the richness of the soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner