This soup is made with sauerkraut. Yes, I'm serious. No, I do not like sauerkraut. Yes, this soup is delicious.
This recipe is not mine. I completely and totally am taking it from a friend of mine. Actually, I did change the recipe for Spicy Tortellini and Sausage Soup a little, because I wanted to have a shot at my husband liking it.
But more on that later.
My dear friend, Sarah, made this soup for us while we were having a garage sale at her house a couple of weeks ago. She was kind enough to open her prime location house on the town wide garage sale day then she made us soup as well. Gotta love friendships. ;-)
I'll be 100% honest. When I first opened the crock pot lid and saw the contents, I wasn't for sure if I would like it. However, it smelled great and I am up to try just about any soup so I gave it a try.
I ate two bowls.
Spicy Sausage And Tortellini Soup
It is, without a doubt, one of the best soups I have ever eaten. I mean, I do make a great Crock Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham and we make the Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup is a favorite but there was just something about the mix of flavors in the spicy sausage and tortellini soup that made it beyond just good.
So back to the garage sale day, I was eating this soup at her table with my daughter and her friend, trying to figure out what was in it. It was pretty obvious to me there were onions in this soup which would explain the flavor. I was also noticing (and was extremely impressed by) Sarah's onion slicing skills as they were all the same size and shape. After I finished my two bowls, ahem, I went back outside and told Sarah my opinions of this soup. As the others were eating it as well, she revealed to me what I had thought were onions, was instead, ready for this, sauerkraut.
Every one who wants to stop reading and forget this recipe, keep reading. Because I despise sauerkraut. I can't stand the smell, I can't stand the look or the texture. It is just awful, plain and simple.
Except in this spicy tortellini and sausage soup.
It just fits, helps give this soup the flavor and is delicious. I knew I wanted to make this soup for my family, but how would I ever get my meatatarian husband to eat sauerkraut?
I wouldn't tell him until after the fact, of course.
So I make this soup. As it is simmering away in the crock pot (and smelling delicious), my oldest son gets home from school and I let him have a taste test. He says (and I quote), "Mom, this soup in phenomenal. I think it may be my favorite soup!"
1 down, 4 more to go.
The Sauerkraut test
So comes the time for my husband to get home from work, knowing full well if he does not like this soup, he will get the jar of peanut butter out and will start eating peanut butter by the spoonfuls. I then will fill guilty that my husband is starving and is gnawing on a spoonful of peanut butter to get some substance.
It is really, really hard trying new foods in my house. The stress is awful.
My husband walks in the kitchen and eyes the ice cream bread. Smiles. {So far so good.} He opens the lid to the crock pot. Frowns. {Just went sour.}
He very pointedly asks me what is in the soup. I say sausage. {I went for a favorite!} He asks what else. I say tortellini. {Another safe ingredient.} He asks what else. Then he rephrases it and asks if there is anything in there he wouldn't like. {Ouch. Can't dodge that one.} I respond sauerkraut. Which I quickly explain how much Ryan loves the soup. {With Ryan in the background, SAUERKRAUT?!?!} Sigh.
Mealtime comes. We all sit down to eat. My husband tries it. And after two tentative bites, proclaims, "This soup is really, really good."
No peanut butter guilt for me tonight. ;-)
Spicy Tortellini And Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 32 oz beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb ground sausage (browned)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup spinach fresh or frozen (chopped into small pieces)
- 16 oz sauerkraut jarred
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 16 oz frozen sausage tortellini
Instructions
- Brown sausage until no longer pink
- Put all ingredients except tortellini in crock pot
- Stir to combine
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7
- About 30 minutes before serving, add tortellini
- Stir
- Serve with bread or crackers
Nutrition
*This post was updated on December 26, 2019.
Sarah
Thanks for pinning it! :-)
Lori Hart
Your soup looks deliciously hearty! Love that's it's spicy too. Found your recipe featured at the Tasty Tuesday Link Party. I am the hostesses of Tickle My Tastebuds and would love you to stop by and link this recipe.
Cheers,
Lori
Sarah
Thank you for stopping by! I will be sure to check out your site. :-)
Sarah
This soup is delicious. I'm sure you can find a compromise on the spice level. ;-) You might be surprised...two of my children do not like spicy either and they gobbled this soup up! I hope you enjoy it!
Kelly
What type of sausage did you use? Italian? Thanks!
Sarah
I used a mild sausage to not make it overly spicy for the young ones in our family. My friend has used spicy Italian. Either way, this soup has a nice flavor with it! :-)
Petro @ The Seaman Mom
Oh, this looks sooo delicious! I never made any kind of tortellini soup, I must make this recipe soon. Thanks and have a wonderful weekend.
Sarah
It is delicious! It is such a surprise with the sauerkraut in it... the flavors blend so nicely. I hope you enjoy it!