Fall through winter we make a hearty soup or stew at least once a week! Sometimes twice a week. I make them heavy enough so that my husband can pack leftovers for work & actually feel full eating them :)

I have been circulating the same few recipes for years- and it was time to branch out an create some new ones! When I had the idea for this recipe I knew it would be a home run! The tortellini adds a nice bit of chewy texture and hit of flavor! The soup flavor is driven by the onions, garlic and thyme! Then balanced out with some tomato paste, cream & Italian sausage!

We used gluten free tortellini- but of course if your household isn’t gluten free you can use any tortellini. If you need dairy free and cant get your hands on a vegan option I think that a gluten free potato gnocchi would taste great!

Want to make this soup dairy free and or vegan?

For the butter: Sub in vegan butter of choice or olive oil

For the heavy cream: Full fat Coconut Cream can be used in place of heavy cream. OR Silk Vegan Heavy Cream works great!

For the sausage: a vegan Sausage of choice can be used!

For the tortellini: Taste republic sells a gluten free + Vegan Tortellini

Gluten Free Creamy Tortellini Sausage Soup

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Brittany Angell

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

In our household- we love soup fall and winter.. but I tend to get in a rut of making the same kinds on repeat. This one is a beautiful introduction to our routine. Its supremely comforting with the Italian sausage and tortellini!

Ingredients

4 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter (dairy or nondairy)
2 Medium White Onions
6 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minces (Dorot cubes make this easy! I use 6).
1 Lb Italian Ground Sausage (regular or spicy)
1 1/2 Tsp Fresh or Dried Thyme
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Dried Rosemary
2-3 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Paprika (Regular or Hungarian Sweet! Hungarian adds a bit extra delicious flavor if you have it :)
1/4-1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional- you may want to omit entirely if using spicy Italian sausage)
Salt to taste
6 Cups of Beef Broth ( or 6 cups of water + 6 bouillon cubes/or tsp of bouillon)
1-2 cups chopped or shredded carrots
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
1- 1/2 cups Heavy Cream (Regular or Dairy free. Coconut cream will also work)
9 ounces (Or more) Gluten Free Tortellini cooked according to the package. Drained and set aside.

Instructions

Add to a large pot the butter or oil- and turn burner on medium low. Finely chop and add in the the onions and garlic and saute them in the oil for 10 minutes.
Add in the Italian sausage breaking it down into small bite size pieces while sautéing. Once almost fully cooked add in all of the spices.
Stir in the carrots, broth and tomato paste mixing well.
Simmer on low for 30-60 minutes until slightly condensed and the flavors have meshed. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer a bit longer. (Note: If using real cream- boiling can cause the cream to separate and curdle.) Make sure to keep heat low at this point. Add salt to taste
Cook the tortellini in a separate pan- and strain! Add tortellini to each bowl as you serve. (If it sits in the broth for a long period the pasta will get soggy eventually and continue to expand in size!)