Spicy Sausage and Cheesy Tortellini Soup

I hope you love this soup as much as I do…

This is one of my favorite dishes to make on a cold day, but that could be more about the nostalgia than the actual soup itself, although the soup is amazing! But no, I think I love this soup so much because it takes me back to a memory that I certainly don’t want to forget. 

In October of 2023, my favorite cousin got married, I love all my cousins, but this cousin is my favorite. Probably because I was 9 when he was born and so I got to enjoy his baby years when I was entering my “little mom’ phase, you know that phase most little girls go through when all they want to do is be around babies, and take care of babies, and pretend their dolls ARE their babies. And because of that, he’s my favorite cousin. I should mention that his wife is also amazing, and I’m not sure there are two people more meant for each other than those two, but that’s beside the point. 

My cousins did all the food for their wedding…themselves. I know what you’re thinking, who does that? And the answer is, our family. My husband and I did all the food for our wedding, my other cousin did it, and so I guess it’s just what we do now. And there’s something beautiful about it. After the fact when you can look back in hindsight and appreciate all the people who stepped up to help you execute the impossible on your wedding day. 

Anyway, my cousins got married in October, which means it was the perfect opportunity to make…. you guessed it, SOUP! Yep, they had the most beautiful soup and salad bar with sourdough bread bowls. In the 5 years I catered weddings I never once did a soup bar, and I have to say, this soup bar blew every other wedding dinner I ever did out of the water. 

They had clam chowder, beef stew and this amazing sausage tortellini soup. It was a lot to execute, and my husband and I were lucky enough to get to help them with this task. The wedding was beautiful, and the soups turned out so good, but my favorite part of the whole weekend was being in the kitchen with my family making food for two people who were about to commit their lives to each other. 

Every time I eat this soup I’m transported back to that day. Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as food can take you back to a time and a place in the past. How the smell of something on the stove can manipulate time and space and put you right back in your grandmother’s kitchen, or your parent’s dining table? So that’s what this soup is for me, a time capsule to a wonderful weekend and a reminder if the importance of family coming together for one another. 

This soup has a rich base of broth, butter, cream and spices; add to that spicy (or mild) Italian sausage and delicious cheesy filled tortellini,  and it’s pretty close to perfect. 

Check out my instagram to see this recipe from start to finish

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C017C-3x7zg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=NTYzOWQzNmJjMA==

What you’ll need…

• Italian Sausage
• Salted butter
• Chicken stock or bone broth
• Heavy cream
• Whole milk
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Flour
• Cayenne pepper
• Dried oregano
• Red pepper flakes
• Dried or fresh thyme
• Fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 5 cheese tortellini *You can use any type of tortellini, or you can make them from scratch, but I prefer the 5 cheese tortellini because the cheese balances out the spice from the sausage nicely. 

*Optional: you can add kale to this recipe to make it a little bit lighter, and to add something green. I am the only one in my family who likes kale so I never add it.

Mise En Place…

• Gather all of your ingredients
• Dice the onion
• Mince the garlic
• Finely chop the parsley
• Measure flour and spices into a small bowl
• Measure out 4 cups of broth
• Measure out 1 cup of whole milk
• Measure out 1 cup of heavy cream
• If you are using kale rough chop it into medium sized pieces

Ingredients…

• 1 lb Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
• 6 TBSP salted butter
• 4 cups chicken broth or bone broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 TBSP flour
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp dried or fresh thyme
• 3 tsp fresh parsley
• 20 oz bag of 5 cheese tortellini
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch of kale (optional)

Preparation…

• In a large pot melt the butter, and add onion and garlic, sauté until onions are translucent and aromatic, about 3 minutes.
• Add Italian sausage, using a spatula “chop” the meat into small bits, to create a smoother texture in the soup.
• Once the meat is fully cooked add the flour and the spices and stir until the flour has absorbed all the fat in the pan, the flour will also be your thickener for the soup.
• Now add the broth, and whole milk, stirring once or twice, before letting the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Once the soup has gotten nice and hot add the heavy cream.
• If you are planning to let the soup sit for a while wait to add the tortellini, but if you are ready to serve add them now. If you let them sit in the soup for too long they will get soggy. They only need to be in the soup for about 4 minutes (8 if they were frozen) before service. 
• If you are using kale add it now.

This soup has it all, flavor, cheese, Italian sausage and kale (if you want it). If you loved this soup as much as I do, let me know in the comments!