Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup (Print version)

A cozy one-pot soup with Italian sausage, sweet butternut squash, cheese tortellini, kale, and a creamy tomato broth.

# Ingredients:

For the soup base

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
02 - 1 lb (450 g) mild Italian sausage, casings removed if using links
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 1 large carrot, diced
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
07 - 4 cups (560 g) peeled cubed butternut squash
08 - 1 can (14.5 oz or 410 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
09 - 5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
10 - 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

To finish

14 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
15 - 12 oz (340 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
16 - 3 cups (75 g) chopped kale or baby spinach
17 - 1/2 cup (45 g) grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

# Instructions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, carrot, and butternut squash to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
04 - Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, sage, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the browned sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
05 - Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream, tortellini, kale, and parmesan. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and the greens are wilted.
06 - Taste and add more salt, pepper, or broth as needed. Serve hot with extra parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served right after the tortellini is cooked.
02 - For leftovers, add extra broth when reheating because tortellini absorbs liquid.
03 - Freeze the soup base before adding cream, tortellini, and greens for best texture.

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