This soup, originally by Dan Pelosi, was first seen in the cooking section of the New York Times. I read through the ingredients, mentally checking them off, and thought — I have everything. I don’t have to go the grocery store. This was a hit–loved it. I made a few changes (as always), and they are reflected in the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound loose sweet Italian sausage or sausage links, casings removed
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried fennel seeds
• Salt and black pepper
• Crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (I use the kind from the tube)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (Cento is my favorite, but the puréed version of other brands can be used)
• 8 cups (64 ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated tortellini, any variety (but I went with a sausage tortelloni to echo the flavors)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 bunch Tuscan (lacinato) kale, leaves stripped and chopped (I have used the regular curly kale, and it works fine)
• ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
• 1 lemon, juiced

Grated Parmesan, for serving

PREPARATION

1. If using the sausage, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the sausage in bite sized pieces and cook, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it is browned, 5 to 9 minutes. Push the sausage to one side of the pot and spoon out any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind.
2. If necessary, adjust heat to medium, then add onion, garlic, paprika, fennel, 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the onion is just softened and everything is fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust heat to high, stir in crushed tomatoes and stock, cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the heavy cream, kale and basil, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and the kale and basil are just wilted, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Stir to incorporate, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve warm topped with grated Parmesan. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.