Sunday Soup #84: Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup

Hi, Souper Troopers!! I've made a run of really good soup recipes lately, but this past weekend I was feeling in need of some comfort food... I (obviously) wanted to make a soup, and I was specifically looking for something that promised to be yummy, hearty, and good to the last drop. Did this one deliver? Let's see...

This recipe came from: https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/creamy-sausage-and-tortellini-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/creamy-sausage-and-tortellini-soup/

Variations from the Recipe as Written: I stuck pretty closely to the recipe as written but, because of common package sizes available for purchase at my local market, I use 20oz of tortellini (instead of 14oz) and only 5oz of spinach (instead of 6oz). I was glad I did on both counts!

General Thoughts: The prep on this one wasn't too bad; a bit of chopping on some onions, shallots, carrots, and spinach, but that was about it. However, while this soup did not take a tremendously long time to cook (only 45 minutes or so), the cooking more or less required that I stay right with it the whole time. Browning the sausage, sautéeing the veggies and garlic, slowly whisking in several ingredients, and monitoring heat levels and stirring to avoid scorching required active engagement with the pot for the duration. Admittedly, it was not a tremendous amount of time compared to some recipes, but you can forget going to do other things while your soup slowly cooks away by itself on the stove.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

This soup proved to be a great choice! I was worried about it being too bland (like a previous tortellini soup choice - https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2017/02/sunday-soup-24-creamy-tuscan-garlic.html), but that was not the case. The salt and pepper, when combined with the taste of the mild Italian sausage, gave this soup a terrific savory flavor that made each bite a delight! The soup was hearty and creamy, as advertised, and each tortellini (I used Triple Cheese) helped as much with the soup's texture and mouth-feel as it did with the flavor.

I have to admit that, even though I used an ounce less spinach than called for in the original recipe, when I first dumped the spinach into the pot I thought it would be WAY too much and overpower the rest of the ingredients... But, it turned out to be the perfect amount! Each bite contained just the right amount of the nutrient-packed green leafy veggie, and it added some rich, earthy contrast to the creamy flavor.

Potential Improvements? Next time, I might be tempted to kick up the spice level by using hot Italian sausage (which would be ideal) or some crushed red pepper. But, other than that, this one was super solid!

Polling the Fam: I really liked this one and would definitely make it again (the level of prep/cooking effort notwithstanding). Becky thought it was good but that it could use a little more spice too. And, Hunter really liked it, finding it solid and hearty, and mentioned that the sausage was the star before immediately laying claim to the leftovers.

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)