Description
This Sausage Tortellini Butternut Soup is a comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring mild Italian sausage, tender butternut squash, fresh cheese tortellini, and kale in a creamy broth made with coconut milk or half and half. It’s perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner, offering rich flavors and a smooth, velvety texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage ground
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 Granny Smith apple diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Soup Base
- 4 cup chicken stock (use up to 6 cups for thinner soup)
- 1 lb butternut squash diced
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk or half and half
To Finish
- 1 lb fresh cheese tortellini
- 2 cup kale finely chopped, stems removed
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper freshly ground, to taste
For Serving
- Parmesan cheese grated
- Fresh basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add ground Italian sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and fully cooked. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Sauté Vegetables and Apple: Add diced onion, carrot, and apple to the pot. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Simmer Soup Base: Pour in chicken stock, add diced butternut squash and sage sprig. Stir and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes or until squash and carrot are tender.
- Puree Soup: Remove and discard sage sprig. Stir in coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Add Tortellini, Kale, and Sausage: Return cooked sausage to pot with fresh tortellini and chopped kale. Stir well and simmer for 4 minutes until tortellini is al dente and kale has wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a thinner soup, add more chicken stock as desired.
- Fresh tortellini cooks quickly; avoid overcooking to maintain its texture.
- Substitute kale with spinach if preferred for a milder green.
- Use half and half instead of coconut milk for a richer, dairy-based creaminess.
