Italian Holiday Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Directions

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil.

Add the Italian sausage to the oil and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Drain the excess fat from the pot.

Stir the garlic, the onion, and the Italian seasoning into the sausage mixture.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

Season the mixture with the salt and the pepper to taste.

Whisk the flour into the meat mixture until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk the chicken stock and the tomato sauce into the meat mixture.

Bring the soup mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Stir the tortellini into the soup.

Cover and cook until the tortellini are tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream and the basil until heated through, about 1 minute.

Taste for seasoning and serve.