This soup is YUM. It’s like eating a delicious bowl of saucy pasta, but in soup form. Adapted from NYTimes.

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 lb loose sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t dried fennel seeds
• 1/2 c crushed red pepper
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 T tomato paste
• 28 oz can tomato purée (or use high-quality canned tomatoes for a chunkier texture)
• 6-8 c stock
• 10 oz pre-made tortellini (cheese is ideal but you can use other flavors that work well with tomato)
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1 bunch lacinato kale, leaves stripped and chopped
• 1/2 c fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon juiced
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 9 minutes.
2. Strain the oil into a dutch oven, then set the sausage aside.
3. Heat sausage oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 5-8 minutes.
4. Add garlic, paprika, fennel, crushed red pepper, and 1.5 t each salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute until everything is fragrant.
5. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, 2-3 minutes.
6. Adjust heat to high, then stir in tomato purée and stock. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.
7. Add tortellini and cook until tender, 2-3 minutes (or follow the package instructions).
8. Add heavy cream, kale, and basil. Cook, stirring, until the soup is warmed and the kale and basil are just wilted, 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
10. Serve topped with plenty of grated Parmesan.