Description
A creamy one-pot soup made with browned Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, tomatoes, baby spinach, herbs, and half-and-half. Ready in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb mild Italian pork sausage, casings removed if necessary
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup half-and-half
4 cups baby spinach
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan, optional for serving
Instructions
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked to 160°F.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened.
3. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds.
4. Sprinkle flour over the sausage mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute.
5. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Add diced tomatoes and their juices.
6. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
7. Add tortellini and simmer according to package directions, generally 3–5 minutes, until tender.
8. Lower the heat. Stir in half-and-half and spinach.
9. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the spinach wilts and the soup is creamy. Do not vigorously boil.
10. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. Serve with Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Drain excess sausage fat if the pot looks oily.
Do not overcook the tortellini.
Keep the heat low after adding half-and-half.
Add extra broth if leftovers become too thick.
Turkey Italian sausage can replace pork sausage.
Kale can replace spinach but requires slightly longer cooking.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow airtight containers and use within 3–4 days.
For the best freezing texture, freeze the sausage-tomato broth without the tortellini, spinach, or half-and-half.
Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding broth if needed, until leftovers reach 165°F.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1⅓–1½ cups
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1150mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg