Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Soup is my ultimate comfort food. It’s cozy and warming, and best-case scenario it comes together in just one pot with a handful of basic ingredients. While I love a good brothy soup (looking at you, chicken noodle!) as well as a thick veggie version like carrot soup, absolutely nothing beats soup that’s hearty enough to be a meal — especially when it also happens to be creamy.

Ingredients

1 pound raw mild or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed if needed
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth (about 4 cups)
1 (8- to 9-ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini (about 2 1/2 cups)
5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)
1 cup half-and-half

Instructions

Cook 1 pound raw Italian sausage in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in 1 diced medium yellow onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour over the sausage mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook the floury taste out.
Stir in 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any stuck-on bits. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a lively simmer.
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Stir in 1 (8-ounce) package cheese tortellini and 5 ounces baby spinach. Cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for the tortellini. Stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.