Sausage Kale Tortellini Soup: A Delicious Spring Soup

Sausage Kale Tortellini Soup is rich and creamy, loaded with flavorful browned sausage, sauteed vegetables, and cheese-filled tortellini pasta, cooked in a mixture of chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and heavy cream.

If you’re looking for comforting and hearty soup with a boost of protein, healthy veggies, and carb-rich pasta, this Sausage Kale Tortellini Soup is the one to try for your next midweek dinner!

WHY THIS SAUSAGE KALE TORTELLINI SOUP WORKS

This stovetop sausage kale tortellini soup is a one-pot recipe, reducing cleanup and adding convenience to the entire cooking process.

It’s an easily adaptable soup, allowing you to swap ingredients for different levels of heat, using different meat, or selecting different vegetables and tortellini.

While some stovetop soups and stews take a dedicated amount of time, this sausage kale tortellini soup will only take you a total of 30 minutes – perfect for those busy days!

KEY INGREDIENTS

Italian hot sausage – This gives the soup a lovely little kick of heat, but you could also use a mild Italian sausage instead.

Vegetables – This soup calls for onion, carrots, crushed tomatoes, and kale. You could add cubed potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers.

Garlic – Preferably freshly minced from garlic cloves, although pre-minced can be used instead.

Broth – I’ve used chicken broth as the base liquid for this soup.

Salt and pepper – To taste.

Heavy/whipping cream – This thickens the soup and adds delicious flavor.

Refrigerated cheese tortellini – These cheese-stuffed tortellini add richness in flavor to this soup.

Swaps

Tortellini – Swap the cheese-filled tortellini for meat-filled tortellini or spinach tortellini.
Kale – This provides a boost of nutrients to the soup and delicious texture.
Sausage – Turkey or beef sausage can be used instead of Italian hot sausage. Ground beef or chicken would even work!
Canned tomatoes – Ro-Tel canned tomatoes are a great alternative to regular canned tomatoes.
Heavy cream – The cream does a great job of thickening the soup. Greek yogurt is also a good alternative. If you want something lighter, use half-and-half.
Chicken broth – Vegetable broth can be used.

EQUIPMENT

You’ll need a large soup pot for this hearty soup.

HOW TO MAKE

Sausage kale tortellini soup is made with a balance of protein, vegetables, and carb-rich pasta. It’s an easy one-pot recipe requiring simple cooking steps that anyone can follow. Here’s exactly how to get started.

Preparations

Assemble the ingredients for this sausage kale tortellini soup.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1
Brown the Italian hot sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes. Drain the sausage on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

Step 2
Sauté the onions and carrots in the same pot for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 3
Add the the broth, canned tomatoes, and sausage. Increase the heat to high and allow the soup to reach a boil. Once boiling, add in the tortellini, kale, and heavy cream. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4
Season the soup with salt and pepper, and serve alongside crusty bread if you wish.

COOKING TIPS

It’s important that you only add the kale and pasta towards the end of the cooking time as the kale will wilt and soften quickly. The tortellini should be soft and tender, but not overcooked that it becomes mushy.

You can easily increase the heat in this soup by adding cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the soup mixture, use Ro-Tel canned tomatoes, or add some hot sauce.

If you opt to use frozen tortellini, add more minutes to the simmering of the soup or the pasta may be undercooked.

Add extra cheesy flavor to this soup by mixing in shredded parmesan cheese just before serving.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SAUSAGE KALE TORTELLINI SOUP

This hearty and comforting pasta and kale soup is great as a main meal with a few simple side options. Here’s what I think pairs well with this sausage kale tortellini soup:

Enjoy a bowl of this hearty soup alongside crusty homemade herb bread or Homemade Buttermilk And Cheddar Biscuits – great for soaking up extra soupy bits at the bottom of your bowl!

For a lighter side dish, consider serving this tortellini soup with a refreshing garden salad or this Avocado Caprese Salad.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

STORING AND REHEATING

FRIDGE

Store leftover sausage kale tortellini soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

FREEZER

This soup also freezes well. Once completely cool, transfer leftover sausage kale tortellini into Ziploc bags or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen soup overnight in the fridge and reheat to serve.

REHEAT

This comforting soup can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring regularly, until heated through.

SERVING SIZE

This soup recipe serves 6. You can make a second batch of this sausage kale tortellini soup when serving a larger crowd or store half in the freezer for later use.

RECIPE