Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 8 oz Tortellini
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 8 oz Italian Sausage
  • 1/2 Onion, chopped
  • 2 Carrots, chopped
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 14oz can Diced Tomatoes ((a variety with Italian seasonings or basil in the mix works great))
  • 3 cups Chicken Stock
  • 2 leaves Kale, finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 1 15oz can Cannellini or White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice, to taste
  • 2 oz Parmesan, grated

Instruction

  • Cook tortellini according to package directions. (You can do this up to 3 days ahead, as I like do as part of my Sunday Prep.)
  • Place a Dutch Oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and then Italian Sausage and saute, breaking sausage apart, until nearly cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions, carrots and Italian seasoning and saute until onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes more.
  • Add tomatoes (including their liquid), stock, kale and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat so the soup maintains a low simmer and continue simmering for 5 minutes to let the flavors come together. While soup simmers, drain and rinse beans and grate parmesan (if not already grated).
  • Stir beans and into soup and simmer just until beans are heated through. Remove soup from heat and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and add additional salt (I do often find this needs a bit more salt at the end, but that will depend on the natural saltiness of your sausage and stock.)
  • Divide tortellini into serving bowls. Ladle soup over tortellini (see note). Top with parmesan.