Description
This hearty Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale is a comforting, flavor-packed meal. Featuring sweet Italian sausage, tender vegetables, cheesy tortellini, and nutrient-rich kale simmered in a savory tomato and herb-infused chicken broth, this one-pot recipe is perfect for cozy dinners or serving a crowd. The ease of the slow cooker means minimal hands-on time and satisfying results every time!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound fresh 3-cheese tortellini
- 3 cups chopped lacinato (dinosaur) kale, stems removed
Seasonings & Liquids
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup sherry or dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (preferably McCormick Basil Herb Grinder)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably McCormick Oregano Herb Grinder)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (preferably McCormick Parsley Herb Grinder)
To Serve
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage and Vegetables: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sweet Italian sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add the diced onion and celery, and cook for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze the Skillet: Pour in the sherry or dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer and Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked sausage and vegetables to the insert of your slow cooker. Add the diced carrots, canned diced tomatoes, and chicken stock. Add the dried basil, oregano, and parsley, and stir all ingredients to combine.
- Slow Cook the Soup Base: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on LOW for 3 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and vegetables to tenderize.
- Add Tortellini and Kale: After 3 hours, stir in the fresh cheese tortellini and chopped kale. Cover again and cook on LOW for an additional 30 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and the kale has wilted.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy your hearty, flavorful tortellini soup!
Notes
- For an Instant Pot variation, brown the meat and vegetables using the sauté setting first, then switch to the slow cooker setting for the remainder of the recipe.
- Swap chicken stock with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version using plant-based sausage and tortellini.
- Lacinato (dinosaur) kale is preferred for its tender texture, but curly kale works as a substitute.
- Add extra red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 2 cups)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1320mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
