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ITALIAN TORTELLINI SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

A delicous, hearty soup filled with Italian flavors. This is a soup that eats like a meal.
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 4 fresh garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
  • 1 TBS Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers, crushed in palm and then added
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 6 cups good chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 oz tomato paste
  • 1 cup jarred marinara sauce
  • 1 inch Parmean cheese rind (optional)
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1 9 oz. pkg four cheese tortellini
  • 3 cups spinach, kale or swiss chard
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Add olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Take sausage our of their casings and cook, breaking apart, in the olive oil until browned.
  • Remove the sausage to a plate.
  • Add onions and carrots to the dutch oven and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
  • Add garlic and cook one minute.
  • Add Italian spices and red pepper flakes to the dutch oven and bloom the spices stirring about one minute.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and combine. Cook stirring for a couple minutes.
  • Whisk in the chicken stock. Keep whisking until the flour has incorporated into the stock.
  • Whisk in tomato paste and marinara sauce.
  • Add the bay leaves, the Parmesan cheese rind, cream and the cooked sausage to the dutch oven.
  • Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add tortellini and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Add the spinach the last 3 minutes.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot and top with olive oil and shaved Parmesan cheese.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.