Creamy Sausage Soup with Rapini and Tortellini

Creamy sausage with cheesy tortellini and rapini makes for a dish that's perfect for satisfying those creamy food dreams. Transform it with mozzarella to create a fantastic casserole for your leftovers.

Cook time: 60 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fresh ricotta tortellini or flavor of your choice
• 0 extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces guanciale diced
• 2 mild Italian sausages removed from their casings
• 1 yellow onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
• 1 bunch rapini cut into 1-inch pieces
• 0 kosher salt
• 0 freshly cracked black pepper generous amount

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Cover them with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the guanciale and cook until it's crispy and the fat has rendered.
3. Crumble the sausage into the pot and cook, breaking it into smaller pieces with a spoon, until it's browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until it is reduced by half.
6. Add the cream and simmer until it is reduced by half again. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it back to a simmer.
7. Add the cooked sausage and Parmesan and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
8. Five minutes before the soup is finished, add the rapini to become tender and the tortellini to heat through. Season the soup with salt and lots of pepper. Garnish with additional Parmesan and pepper.