Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the sausage
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and brown the Italian sausage until crumbled. Drain the fat from the pot.
Build the base
- Add the diced onion to the same pot and sauté for 4 minutes, until softened and lightly translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes.
Simmer the broth
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Cook tortellini
- Add the cheese tortellini and cook for 4-5 minutes until just tender, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick. Look for tender centers but no overly soft pasta.
Finish and serve
- Stir in the heavy cream and baby spinach, then cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. The broth should look creamy and evenly colored.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve topped with parmesan and fresh basil. Finish with a visible snowfall of parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
Notes
Pro tip: keep the tortellini to a “just tender” cook so it doesn’t turn mushy when you reheat. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if thickened. Freezing is not recommended because tortellini can soften and become mealy after thawing. For a lighter option, swap half-and-half for heavy cream for a similar flavor with less richness.