Well it’s still snowing… in March… and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for Spring! But while it lasts, I do get to enjoy bowls of soup, looking out on the snow, and photographing recipes by the fire.. so that’s kind of a win, right? This is one of my favorite soups and my mom used to make us a variation of this soup growing up all the time as kids. I knew whenever she was making it, because the whole house would smell like sautéing garlic and onions in butter which to me is one of the best smells in the world. This soup honestly takes less than ten minutes to throw together. The only thing you have to remember to do is either defrost your frozen box of spinach, or defrost it in the microwave. Literally, that’s the hardest part. Also, you could easily adjust this to vegetarian by using soy sausage instead! Or if you prefer to use pork sausage, be my guest! I just love chicken sausage, I hate finding those ‘fatty’ pieces you get in pork. It’s why I never liked breakfast links as a kid, they grossed me out! But now every grocery store has chicken sausage (ours even has spicy!), so it’s an easy and low fat protein to throw in lots of dinners! But let’s start filling that soup pot with ingredients so you can enjoy some comfort soup on this snowy day too!
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup w/ Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter, melted in pan (if you're substituting pork sausage, you won't need as much oil, chicken just doesn't have much fat)
- 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional, for those that like a little heat)
- 1 16 oz package raw chicken sausage (if sausage has casing, remove before putting in pot)
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 14 oz bag three cheese tortellini, can use frozen or fresh (we like Kirkland Brand!)
- 1 10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out of it (you can use fresh spinach it will just take A LOT to get this amount)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups milk
- garlic salt to taste
Optional Garnishes:
- Grated or Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
Instructions
- On stove, turn burner onto medium high heat. In a large pot, melt butter and add red pepper flakes, onions, and garlic. Stir and sauté until onions become translucent. Add sausage and break up. Cook until brown. Add flour and stir into sausage and onion mixture until well combined and you don't see any white flour bits left. Slowly add chicken broth and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and add tortellini and spinach. Stir until everything is well combined. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. You'll know when everything is done when the tortellini all floats to the top and the soup thickens. Serve immediately and garish with parmesan cheese and chopped tomatoes. Enjoy!
