Ingredients
Method
Brown the Sausage
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and diced onion. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking the meat into bite-sized crumbles with a wooden spoon, until deeply browned and caramelized.
Bloom the Aromatics
- Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 60 seconds until delightfully fragrant, allowing the spices to toast gently in the sausage drippings.
Simmer the Broth
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, stirring well to deglaze the delicious caramelized fond from the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a rolling simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and let gently simmer for 5 minutes.
Cook the Tortellini
- Gently add the refrigerated cheese tortellini to the simmering broth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes (or according to package instructions) until the tortellini are plump, tender, and float to the surface. Avoid overcooking so the pasta maintains a tender al dente bite.
Finish with Cream & Spinach
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh baby spinach. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes just until the spinach is delicately wilted and the cheese has melted into a rich, silky pink cream broth.
Garnish & Serve
- Ladle into warm soup bowls. Crown each serving with an extra shower of freshly shaved Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately with warm crusty garlic bread!
Nutrition
Notes
Chef's Pro Tip: Fresh refrigerated tortellini cook in just 3 minutes! To prevent the pasta from softening too much, do not boil aggressively after adding the tortellini. If you plan to enjoy leftovers throughout the week, you can boil the tortellini separately and ladle the hot creamy sausage broth directly over the pasta in bowls.