Well, it's the best I've ever had, and I hope you feel the same way. This recipe is the result of my tinkering around and testing several different recipes for tortellini soup from various sources, until I came up with something of my own. It's very flavorful and hearty, perfect for a cool autumn day; add some crusty bread and/or a salad, and you've got a very filling meal. To make this soup vegetarian, just skip the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-to-large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
olive oil
1 bunch kale, rinsed and torn into pieces
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
6 C low-sodium or sodium-free chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, and thyme), salt, and pepper to taste
NOTE: If you use the sausage, then I strongly recommend that you wait until the soup is done to season it, instead of adding anything during the cooking process. You never know how the sausage is seasoned and how salty it is until it is cooked, so it's better to wait until it's all done to see whether it needs more flavor.
In a large pot, brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove the browned sausage from the pot and let it drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. You should have about a tablespoon of fat left in the pot; if the sausage was very lean, you might need to add some olive oil to the pot so you can sweat the vegetables. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft but not browned. Add the tomatoes and kale to the pot and stir to coat with the oil. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Then add the sausage and return it to a boil. Finally, add the frozen tortellini and cook until the pasta is heated through. Then taste it and add more seasoning if needed.
Enjoy!
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-to-large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
olive oil
1 bunch kale, rinsed and torn into pieces
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
6 C low-sodium or sodium-free chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, and thyme), salt, and pepper to taste
NOTE: If you use the sausage, then I strongly recommend that you wait until the soup is done to season it, instead of adding anything during the cooking process. You never know how the sausage is seasoned and how salty it is until it is cooked, so it's better to wait until it's all done to see whether it needs more flavor.
In a large pot, brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove the browned sausage from the pot and let it drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. You should have about a tablespoon of fat left in the pot; if the sausage was very lean, you might need to add some olive oil to the pot so you can sweat the vegetables. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are soft but not browned. Add the tomatoes and kale to the pot and stir to coat with the oil. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Then add the sausage and return it to a boil. Finally, add the frozen tortellini and cook until the pasta is heated through. Then taste it and add more seasoning if needed.
Enjoy!
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