By Ali Slagle
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(1,155)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This lighter take on hearty sausage soups is cozy with chicken sausage, delicate tortellini, fennel and whatever green vegetables are gracing your market. Fennel is a late winter-early spring crop that works triple time for us here: The bulb is sweet and soft, sliced stalks are crisp-tender and the fronds are chopped for an herb garnish. While fully cooked chicken sausage adds just enough richness, feel free to use any fresh or fully cooked chicken or pork sausage you have and like (just remove fresh sausage from its casings before browning).
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 to 16ounces fully cooked chicken sausage, any flavor, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1large fennel, bulb coarsely chopped, stalks thinly sliced, fronds finely chopped
- 4garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1½quarts (6 cups) chicken broth
- About 10 ounces fresh or frozen cheese, spinach or mushroom tortellini
- 2cups chopped vegetables (such as snap or snow peas, green beans, asparagus, kale, spinach or escarole), or frozen peas
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
554 calories; 34 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 1767 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook, stirring once or twice, until browned and crisp all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped fennel bulb and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, scraping up the browned bits as you go, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Step
2
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the broth is flavorful, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Step
3
Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. In the last three minutes of the tortellini cooking, add the chopped vegetables and up to ½ cup sliced fennel stalks. (For some tortellini, that might mean adding the vegetables with the pasta.)
Step
4
Remove from heat and stir in up to ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan and more black pepper.
Ratings
5
out of 5
1,155
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
J&K
Pasta should be cooked separately, adding it directly to the soup creates a starch taste that detracted from an otherwise excellent, and easy to make, recipe.
Matthew
I used a mix of asparagus, green beans, and frozen peas. Thought this was fantastic, and it's something I'll likely make again as it reheats well (though next time I'll portion the tortellini out per meal). Thanks
Linda
Throwing a few pieces of Parmesan rind into the broth might be interesting.
ellen
I almost never post comments, but I have to say I thought this soup was delicious. I subbed vegan sausage and vegetable broth to make it vegetarian. I will definitely be making this again!
Matt Ross
I added a 1/4 cup of white wine, some onion and a jalapeño. Also I used apple chicken sausages. Made it sweeter and a bit smoky
MerlinFan
It is best if the pasta takes up some of the soup taste, but I agree some pasta may release some starch. Fresh pasta can be used directely in the soup, but it might be a good idea indeed to pre-cook dried pasta and put it in the soup only for the last minutes.
SuZQ CA
This was easy and amazing; used TJ sweet Italian sausage, squeezed out of the casing and browned; smaller fennel bulb; TJ fresh spinach tortellini; homemade chicken broth; frozen green beans, chopped; green peas; and chopped up kale. Added in chopped fennel fronds and shaved grana padana cheese. Served with garlic naan. Perfect for a cool day.
KimB
Really tasty, hearty, and filling. I used sliced carrots and put those in at the same time as the broth to make sure they got cooked. We tried the parmesan, but decided it was unnecessary as the soup has lots of flavor and richness.
Karen
I followed the recipe pretty close to exactly (reducing the size by about 1/3, as I live alone). I used fresh asparagus, frozen peas, spinach chicken sausage, and 3-cheese tortellini.Mmmm... love it, even though fennel is not always something I like. I'm eating my second bowlful now, and looking forward to leftovers...
Nick H.
Delicious recipe! I added a couple tablespoons of Mirin to this after the boil/simmer step, and it really rounded it out nicely.
rachel
A good classic recipe. I made my own broth, and used 2x kale. Garlic gouda chicken sausage plus spinach tortellini were great additions.
Sarah M.
Another delicious and simple recipe from Ali Slagle. Easy to riff on - I used mild Italian pork sausage, fresh asparagus, frozen peas, and a few leftover baby Bella mushrooms that needed to be used up. I can see myself making this again and again.
Nick
This soup was delicious. I used Swiss chard for the greens. My partner’s view is that ever Sunday is pasta night. So this was a nice variation on the pasta night theme.
L
Because I am an idiot, I didn’t read the part where you were supposed to use precooked chicken sausage and used a block of fresh Italian pork sausage and it was delicious albeit pretty salty. I also portioned out the tortellini, so when I reheated the soup for leftovers I’d bring some to simmer in a pot and cook the pasta in it.
John M.
This was a delicious and easy to prepare soup. The only variation I made was using a couple of teaspoons of 'old world Italian seasoning' from the Spice House that included fennel, as I couldn't find any fennel bulbs. Used 1/3 asparagus tips, 1/3 peas and 1/3 trimmed string beans. Thanks once again for another great recipe, Ms. Slagle.
honeywhite
Was dubious about the fennel, but it was key -- smelled delicious while cooking, and tasted even better.
Jess
Made the broth on Sunday for Thursday. Added the tortellini and veggie on Thursday and it was fantastic!! So much flavor and it was so easy to make! Will definitely add it to the rotation!
KatieP
I feel like I am missing out on a major component of this soup. My grocery store was devoid of fennel. The soup is still very satisfying and has a depth of flavor. I wish I had the fennel though…
Mick
Loved this! Used broccoli rabe pork sausage, rainbow chard and added a bit of lemon zest.
Paul Young-Hyman
I precooked orzo but made it Al dente. I cooked sausage first and drained fat and removed. Stirred in vegetables added stock and replaced sausage. Added Orzo and kale and lemon zest. Added some more lemon juice at the end. Five stars.
Subbed Fennel With Leeks And Dill
Family dislikes fennel. Used Leeks in place of fennel bulb and dill in place of fennel fronds. Delicious.
S
I used a quart of TJs chicken broth and 2 cups of water (no additional salt, but did add some italian seasoning) and I still wished I had used low-salt chicken broth. Cooked chicken sausage is very salty. Fennel needed more time to get soft. Baby spinach and frozen peas for the veggies. Easy tasty weeknight dinner.
Peter
Excellent. I would reemphasize to keep the tortellini separate and portion per use.
Adam
The fennel isn’t overpowering at all and adds a lovely subtle flavor to the dish. We added cheese and spinach tortellini. Perfect for a Wisconsin winter night.
Erina C.
Just made with Trader Joe's organic sweet Italian chicken sausage and peas for the greens. So easy to make and pretty good as is, but the broth fell a little flat for me. Have people added any spices or something to add complexity?
D. Johnson
I added kale at the end for the green vegetable, and mild uncooked Italian sausage. I used a dutch oven and cooked the sausage over medium-high heat and sopped up some of the sausage grease with a paper towel before adding the fennel chunks so as to avoid a pool of it on top of the soup. Worked like a charm. This was soooooo good! All of us were licking our bowls afterwards! Next time I'll just add the remainder of the chicken stock and some more tortellini.
additions
Increase garlic & stock
kf
Have not used fennel before, so I was a bit unsure. This was delicious and so flavorful. 10 stars! Made as directed used cajun andouille sausage, snap peas, fresh spinach and fresh 3 cheese tri-colored tortellini (uncooked). Strayed a bit with the addition of white wine and aged gouda rind.
Rachel
This is one of those low-ish effort/high reward recipes, going into regular rotation for sure. Love how adaptable it is to individual preference, and that it’s hearty without being heavy. I used artichoke garlic chicken sausage, fresh mini cheese tortellini, veggie broth (Imagine makes a super flavorful one), and a mix of spinach and frozen peas. Threw all the fennel in at once and it was fine in the end. Fresh grated parm added at the end was the perfect finishing touch.
Erin H.
Made as written. I used a locally made chicken jalapeno sausage, one that we have always enjoyed. Used TJ cheese tortellini. We liked it but it doesn't hit the 5 star mark, although the basics of the recipe are worth riffing on.
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