Pumpkin Tortellini Soup with Chicken (Printable)

Creamy autumn soup with pumpkin, chicken sausage, cheese tortellini, and kale. A hearty 45-minute meal perfect for cozy nights.

# Ingredient list:

→ Produce

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 cups pumpkin puree
05 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
07 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

→ Meats

08 - 12 ounces chicken sausage, sliced into ½-inch rounds

→ Pasta

09 - 9 ounces cheese tortellini, fresh or refrigerated

→ Dairy

10 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

15 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
16 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Cooking steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and carrot, sautéing for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and sliced chicken sausage to the pot, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until sausage is lightly browned.
03 - Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken broth, dried thyme, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
04 - Add chopped kale and cheese tortellini to the simmering soup. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until tortellini are tender and kale is wilted.
05 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if using. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a restaurant dish but comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinners feel special without the stress.
  • The chicken sausage does the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you can skip browning meat separately and still get serious depth.
02 -
  • Adding the cream at the end rather than earlier prevents it from curdling or breaking when combined with acidic ingredients—a lesson I learned by making this mistake once and watching the soup turn grainy.
  • Taste before serving and adjust seasonings boldly; the pumpkin puree can be mild, so don't be shy with salt and the optional red pepper flakes for depth.
03 -
  • Let your ingredients come together in layers rather than dumping everything in at once—each step builds on the last and creates better flavor development.
  • Don't skip tasting at the end; pumpkin puree varies by brand, and you might need more salt or spice than the recipe suggests to make it taste like yours.
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