Once I feel a chill in the air, I immediately crave soups. Soups are so comforting in the fall and winter months and I love that there are so many different varieties to enjoy. Soups are also an easy way to eat more veggies too! This particular soup packs huge flavor from the sausage and tortellini, but also has a good dose of kale and other veggies to keep you full.
Serve this with crusty bread or garlic bread for dipping. Delish!
Italian Sausage, Kale and Tortellini Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 12 oz. Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 small bunch lacinato kale (dinosaur kale), stemmed and chopped
- 1 (9 oz.) package cheese tortellini
Directions:
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sausage and cook until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add fennel, carrots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and fire-roasted tomatoes and bring soup to a boil.
- Add kale and tortellini and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, or until the tortellini start to float to the top. Remove pan from heat and ladle soup into bowls.
Jen Plaggemars is a registered dietitian and private chef based in Holland, MI, and owner of Chef Jen LLC. She blogs at chefjen.com.