This Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup Is Perfect for Late Winter Weather
My valentine for you all is a marvelous tomato soup. I’ve just had it for lunch as the sun is trying to come out after two days of snow here in Southern Utah. It was our first big storm of the winter and very welcome.
This lovely recipe has all the flavors of great pasta and garlicky red sauce made into a hearty comfort soup. The kale, basil and lemon keep it on the lighter side cultivating thoughts of spring.
I’ve made this soup (thank you foodies at The NY Times) twice and this time changed it up some. I added anchovies, cut the sausage, and puréed a can of the well known Italian San Marzana (Cento) whole tomatoes. Yum!
This makes quite a large amount of soup with all the tomato, broth, and cream. So use a larger pot. And I guarantee you won’t mind having it around for lunch the next day. Happy Valentine’s Day!
INGREDIENTS
Yield:
6 to 8 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound loose sweet Italian sausage or sausage links, casings removed (optional )
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 canned anchovies, minced or smashed
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried fennel seeds
Salt and black pepper
Crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée (For best, use Cento brand of San Marzano whole tomatoes and purée them. I found this can at my local grocery store on the very bottom shelf below all the dozens of other tomato sauces,)
8 cups (64 ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
1 (9- to 10-ounce) package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
1¼ cups heavy cream
1 bunch Tuscan (lacinato) kale, leaves stripped and chopped
½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
1 lemon, juiced
Grated Parmesan, for serving
PREPARATION
Step 1
If using the sausage, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high (if not using sausage, heat the oil on medium, then proceed to step 2.) Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it is browned, 5 to 9 minutes. Push the sausage to one side of the pot and spoon out any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind.
Step 2
If necessary, adjust heat to medium, then add onion, garlic, anchovies, paprika, fennel, 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the onion is just softened and everything is fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust heat to high, stir in tomato purée and stock, cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil, then add the tortellini and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes (1 minute longer if frozen).
Step 3
Add the heavy cream, kale and basil, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and the kale and basil are just wilted, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Stir to incorporate, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 4
Serve warm topped with plenty of grated Parmesan. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.