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4.65 from 17 votes

Butternut Squash, Tortellini and Italian Sausage Soup

This butternut squash, sausage and tortellini soup recipe features a silky sweet and savory broth topped with fresh herbs and Parmesan.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pork
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Ali

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 large carrot diced
  • 1 Granny smith apple diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 to 6 cups chicken stock (use more if you’d like a brothier soup)
  • 1 pound diced butternut squash
  • 1 sprig fresh sage
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or half and half)
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) fresh cheese tortellini
  • 2 cups finely-chopped kale tough stems removed
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • toppings: Parmesan and finely-chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • Brown the sausage. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sauté until browned and cooked through, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a clean plate and set it aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot. (If there is no grease remaining, add 1 more tablespoon olive oil.)
  • Sauté the veggies. Add the onion, carrot and apple to the pot. Sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
  • Simmer. Add the chicken stock, butternut squash, sage and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low (or whatever temperature is needed to maintain a low simmer), cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash and carrots are completely soft.
  • Purée. Remove and discard the sage. Add the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth.
  • Finish. Add the cooked sausage, tortellini and kale to the soup and stir to combine. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the tortellini are al dente. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Serve. Serve warm, garnished with your desired toppings, and enjoy!