Cheese Tortellini Soup with Kielbasa and Kale

This cheese tortellini soup with kielbasa, kale, and cannellini is so crazy good. It's also incredibly easy to make. 

I loved the Polish smoked kielbasa in this soup. It was all I could do not to just pick out all of the kielbasa out of the pan and eat it. 

I hate to admit it, but I had never tried Polish smoked kielbasa before, but now I am in love with it. Where have you been all of my life?  It is served with a topping of about 2 tablespoons of grated or shaved Parmesan or an Italian blend, which melts right into the soup, adding the perfect amount of umami. If you prep the vegetables in advance, you can get this soup on the table in 30 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner. You can also prep the soup in advance, leaving out the tortellini. Reheat the soup, add the tortellini, cook for about 5 minutes, and serve. I loved this soup with thin baguette slices toasted with garlic and cheese.

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 Cheese Tortellini Soup with Kielbasa and Kale

Bon Appetit, Nov. 2002

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb

4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 T chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

10 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 cups chopped kale

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 nine ounce package cheese tortellini

1 cup freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Add the kielbasa, onion, fennel, garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are soft and the kielbasa is lightly browned. 
2. Add the broth and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the kale and cannellini. Simmer about 4 minutes. 
3. Add the tortellini and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through but al dente. 
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with about two tablespoons of the Parmesan. 

Adapted from Bon Appetit, January, 2002