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?  

This soup is served with a topping of about 2 tablespoons of grated or shaved Parmesan (or you could use an Italian blend cheese), 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.

Ingredients in this Soup:

Smoked Kielbasa: From what I understand, kielbasa actually means "sausage" in Polish, and in Poland, it's more of a generic name. This soup recipe calls for smoked kielbasa. It's already cooked and can be prepared in many ways such as pan frying, grilling, and simmering. 

In the U.S., unless you live in an area with a large Polish population, this will probably be the only sausage labeled kielbasa in the grocery store. It's typically made with pork, although there is an all beef version available, as well as an extra spicy version. 

Cheese Tortellini: You can find bags of it in the refrigerator/deli section of your grocery store, likely near the ravioli and containers of ricotta and other Italian style cheeses. It may also be in the freezer section. 

Veggies: Kale (lots of it), onion, fennel, cannellini beans (canned), and garlic.

Chicken Broth: Preferably reduced sodium. 

Herbs and Spices: Thyme and crushed red pepper flakes. 

Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated or flaked. 

To Make this Cheese Tortellini Soup:

First, pan fry the sliced sausage, onion, fennel, garlic, and spices until the sausage is lightly browned and the veggies have softened. 

Next, add the chicken broth, kale, and cannellini beans and simmer. 

After that, add the cheese tortellini and simmer for just a few minutes, until the pasta is al dente. 

Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fennel fronds if you like. 

Make-Ahead Tip:

You can prepare the soup in advance, leaving out the tortellini. When ready to serve, heat the soup and then add the tortellini and simmer for about five minutes, until the pasta is al dente. 

Serve this soup with sliced Italian or French bread. It's also fabulous with buttery and cheesy garlic bread. 

If you like, you can add a salad, but with all of that kale, the soup is pretty much a complete meal in itself. Save room for dessert! 

"K" is for Kuchen, Kiwi, Kenya, Kabobs, Kielbasa, Kale, Kimchi, and Ketchup!

To continue the 2025 Alphabet Challenge, we are sharing recipes that begins with "K" or include ingredients that that begin with "K."

• Sneha’s Recipe: Khoya/Mawa Gujiya With Dry Fruits 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Strawberry Kuchen 
• Food Lust People Love: Kiwi Tomato Feta Salad 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Kachumbari,Kenyan Salad 
• Blogghetti: Chipotle Lime Shrimp Kabobs 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Fresh Kielbasa Sheet Pan Dinner 
• A Messy Kitchen: Kimchi Udon 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Cheese Tortellini Soup with Kielbasa and Kale 
• Magical Ingredients: Kimchi Gochujang Dip 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup 
• Culinary Cam: A Fruit Formerly Known as ‘Kaffir’ + Makrut-Kissed Cookies 
• Palatable Pastime: Kimchi Cucumber Pickles

For the 2024 Alphabet Challenge I made Kung Pao Chicken for the Letter "K." It was amazing. 

Cheese Tortellini Soup with Kielbasa and Kale

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

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

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb (save a few fronds for garnish)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons 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 9 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.
5. Sprinkle with a few fennel fronds if desired. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories

592

Fat (grams)

32 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

11 g

Carbs (grams)

45 g

Fiber (grams)

7 g

Net carbs

38 g

Sugar (grams)

4 g

Protein (grams)

35 g

Cholesterol (grams)

67 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2016/02/cheese-tortellini-soup-with-kielbasa.html

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Adapted from Bon Appetit, January, 2002