Turkey Tortellini Soup
A quick variation on chicken noodle soup. I usually have the ingredients in my pantry and freezer. Inspired by a Tyler Florence recipe.
A quick variation on chicken noodle soup. I usually have the ingredients in my pantry and freezer. Inspired by a Tyler Florence recipe.
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 2 cloves garlic smashed and chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 0.5 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 4 black peppercorns
- 12 ounces turkey sausage frozen
- 9 ounces fresh tortellini or frozen
- black pepper fresh-ground to taste
- parmigiano-reggiano grated for garnish
- flat-leaf parsley chopped for garnish
- Carbohydrate 33.1100061287719 g
- Cholesterol 59.64 mg
- Fat 12.4699924944862 g
- Fiber 4.57147479832655 g
- Protein 22.1696590889932 g
- Saturated Fat 3.32848551550664 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (527g)
- Sodium 1300.29469946189 mg
- Sugar 28.5385313304454 g
- Trans Fat 1.28327145978836 g
- Calories 329 calories
Step-by-step
- Set a large stock pot over medium heat.
- Add olive oil, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme leaves and gently saute until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth, add parsley and black peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer while you work on turkey sausage and tortellini.
- Cook turkey sausage as directed on package.
- Drain sausages and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Drop tortellini into soup.
- Cook until they float and are tender.
- Once turkey is finished, add to pot of broth.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Give soup a final seasoning and serve in bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan and parsley.
Low-sodium chicken broth does the structural heavy lifting here, providing a controlled salinity base that prevents the soup from turning overly salty as it reduces. Stockpot dimensions matter significantly when modifying yields. Narrow, tall pots reduce evaporation during the initial simmer, whereas wide Dutch ovens accelerate liquid loss. Adjusting volume up or down requires careful attention to the aromatics; maintain a ratio of one medium onion, two carrots, and two celery ribs per six cups of liquid to preserve body.
Managing Batch Sizes in Limited Kitchens
Halving this recipe fits comfortably inside a standard three-quart saucepan without crowding the vegetables during the initial five-to-seven-minute sweat. Doubling the batch requires switching to an eight-quart stockpot to ensure the liquid reaches a rolling boil efficiently before dropping the tortellini.Controlling Pasta and Meat Textures
Fresh tortellini requires exact timing, floating to the surface in roughly two to four minutes once dropped into simmering broth. Overcooking causes the pasta casings to rupture, releasing starches that cloud the broth and turn the filling mushy. Separate cooking of the frozen turkey sausage prevents excess fat from rendering directly into the simmering vegetables, preserving a clear, clean stock.
