Makes 4-6 servings

Notes:

IT’S SOUP SZN, PEOPLE. And, we’re very glad it’s here.

The tomato paste in this recipe is completely optional - leave it out or put it in, depending on your family’s preferences. The flour is also optional, and makes for a delicious thick soup - almost a stew. But if you prefer something thinner, simply omit along with the tomato paste.

You can make this recipe dairy free by using an alternative unsweetened milk instead of the cream, and a vegan tortellini. Likewise, this recipe could be made gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and pasta.

Pro-tips:

If you can find loose sausage (often in the ground meat section or in the butcher’s case) - great. If you can only find links, no biggie. Just pop them into the pot and mash with your wooden spoon - no need to remove the casing.
Cooked sausage will also work fine - just slice the links into coins before tossing it into the pot.

Swaps:

You could use shredded chicken instead of the sausage - just skipping the browning bit.
Pork sausage would be fine instead of the chicken or turkey - just note you will likely need to drain the pot after sautéing it.
Likewise, vegan or vegetarian sausage would also work fine.
Feel free to use another frozen veggie blend or medley- say just peas instead of peas and carrots, or one with corn and green beans if that’s what your kids like.
We used cheese tortellini, but any variety you have on hand would also be good.

Add-ons:

If you have the time and inclination, you can start this recipe but sautéing a mire poix (diced celery, carrots, and onion).
We like the thick, grated parmesan to garnish this soup.

Equipment:

Dutch oven
Wooden spoon
Silicon spatula

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound uncooked Italian-ish chicken or turkey sausage
1 x 6 ounce can tomato paste
¼ cup AP flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
6 cups chicken stock or water, or combination thereof
10 ounces frozen peas and carrots
~9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
~1 cup whole milk or cream
Parmesan and fresh parsley for serving (optional but good)

Assembly:

On your stove top, set a large dutch oven over medium-high and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add in your sausage. Let the sausage sear and brown for a moment or 2, then break it up into little pieces using your wooden spoon. Repeat this process a few times.

When the sausage is nicely browned and nearly cooked through, add your remaining olive oil to the pot then stir in your tomato paste, and toss everything to coat (if needed, switch to a silicone spatula for this). Next, add your flour, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (if using) and stir to combine - again making sure everything is evenly coated. Stir constantly for another moment or so, until the tomato paste has darkened slightly - things may be a bit clumpy, and that’s OK.

Slowly pour in your stock, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, then stir to remove any large lumps. Add your frozen veggies and bring the soup to a simmer.

When the soup is simmering, stir in your tortellini and cover the pot. Cook the tortellini until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. When the tortellini are done, remove the pot from the heat, stir in your milk or cream and season to taste.

Dish soup into bowls, garnish with parsley and Parmesan (if using) and serve.

V Easy Tortellini Soup