Lemony Tuscan Tortellini Soup

 

8 ounces Italian sausage, either mild/sweet or hot, casings removed

1 T. butter or olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (more to taste)

1/4 tsp. mustard powder (more to taste)

3 T. flour

32 ounces chicken broth or stock (4 cups)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

9 ounces fresh cheese tortellini (about 3 cups.) Find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.

1 cup heavy cream

3 cups finely shredded kale

3 T. marinated sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Parmesan cheese

 

Brown the sausage over medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot. Break the meat apart into crumbles as it cooks. Remove to a plate. Add the butter to the pan, along with the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and mustard powder. Sauté, stirring pretty constantly, for a few minutes to soften the onion. Don’t let the garlic brown. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook and stir another minute. Add the sausage back into the pan. Stir in the chicken broth or stock and lemon juice and bring everything up to a simmer, stirring almost constantly. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions, generally just a few minutes. I like to add the cream, kale, and tomatoes a minute or two before they finish cooking. Bring back to a simmer and cook just until the pasta is tender and the kale has wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add salt or fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Add a bit more lemon juice if needed. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese.