Cheese Tortellini and Kale Soup

Name: Cheese Tortellini and Kale Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts).
Ingredients: 3 Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage Links (4 ounces each), sliced; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 cup chopped fennel bulb; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cartons (32 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup water; 4 cups chopped fresh kale; 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained; 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini

A steaming bowl of this hearty soup is always a welcomed dish with both my family and neighbors. I often serve it when we get together during the cold months to watch football games. I add crusty bread, sliced cheese and grapes to round out the meal. —Marlena Liimatainen, Denton, Maryland

Ingredients

3 Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage Links (4 ounces each), sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cartons (32 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
4 cups chopped fresh kale
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, onion, fennel, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes in oil until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Add broth and water; bring to a boil.
Stir in kale and beans; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender. Add tortellini; simmer, uncovered, for 7-9 minutes or until tender.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 180 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 641mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 10g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat.

Originally published as Cheese Tortellini and Kale Soup in Taste of Home Winning Recipes 3

Reviews

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Pmcmag

Apr 17, 2016

I have already made it a few times and it has become a family favorite.
kimb0

Dec 3, 2015

I enjoyed this soup--will make again.
bshowalter

Jan 20, 2015

We really enjoyed this soup but didn't care for the tortellini. We made it a second time and just added another can of beans instead of the tortellini.
RedRockster

May 30, 2014

I added 2 tbls each of chopped fresh basil and oregano to this. Next Time I will put in a cup of diced carrots with the other vegetables. Flavor is wonderful. I omitted the red pepper beacuse my wife can't handle the hot, and just added a dash of tabasco sauce to my servings.I will make this again as I needed good recipes to use my Kale from my garden.
recipehound54

Jan 28, 2014

This was an easy soup to make. I followed the recipe, though I did leave out the olive oil in order to reduce the fat content. That may have resulted in the soup not being as flavorful as other soups that I've made with Italian sausage and tortellini. The red pepper flakes gave the soup a little kick; if you like a milder soup, you might want to reduce that spice. Not sure what to change next time to make this a "Wow" soup. Flavors may intensify and blend a little better as it becomes "day old" soup.