Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups spinach fresh
- 1 pound mild italian sausage casing removed
- 1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 12 oz tortellini fresh or frozen
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- koshes salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- fresh basil for garnish
- Carbohydrate 30.6125884484649 g
- Cholesterol 252.716410738192 mg
- Fat 65.7131915221885 g
- Fiber 1.79416520756633 g
- Protein 57.4345022470383 g
- Saturated Fat 22.7362126280177 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (384g)
- Sodium 905.008311939918 mg
- Sugar 28.8184232408986 g
- Trans Fat 4.85970804429184 g
- Calories 954 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions for 6-8 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add sausage to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crumbled into bite sized pieces. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Mix in diced tomatoes and tortellini, then pour in chicken broth and heavy cream. Season with basil and oregano, then season with salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. or until pasta is al dente.
- Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes, or until just wilted, then remove from heat, and serve hot.
- Enjoy!
Swapping the heavy cream for unsweetened plant-based milk alters the structural integrity of the broth, leaving you with a thin, watery liquid rather than a velvety base. Testing this soup requires careful attention to fat content and timing so the dairy does not curdle under high heat. Consider these targeted adjustments before putting the pot on the stove.
- Replace the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk at a strict one-to-one ratio if dairy must be avoided, keeping in mind that coconut flavor will subtly alter the profile.
- Brown the mild Italian sausage over medium heat for approximately 7 to 8 minutes to render the excess fat properly before adding the aromatics.
- Incorporate fresh spinach during the final 120 seconds of simmering to preserve its bright green color and prevent it from turning into a muddy purée.
- Add fresh or frozen tortellini directly to the simmering broth only if serving immediately; otherwise, cook the pasta separately and combine individual bowls to prevent the dough from disintegrating during storage.
Scaling this recipe requires monitoring liquid absorption rates, as doubling the tortellini demands an extra cup of chicken broth to maintain the correct soup-to-pasta ratio. Keeping the heat at a gentle simmer once the dairy is introduced prevents proteins from separating.
