Kielbasa, Kale, Tortellini Soup

We enjoyed this hearty soup. I used organic kale from the coop. I was unsure if DH would like the kale but he did and I am greatful for that. A new green as opposed to my normal of spinach or chard can now be used. I made the full recipe and we had it for dinner with lots left over. I froze some sans the tortellini and had some for lunch the next day. This is not a heavy soup and I loved that. I usually make a super heavy duty veggie soup but really enjoyed the lightness of this soup. In spite of it's lightness it was quite filling. I did make the tortellini seperate and added some to our bowls b efore serving that way I could freeze it seperate and it would not get soggy in the soup for the reheat. Delcious and a keeper. I cannot wait to make this during the summer months with the kale from the garden. Made for AUS/NZ Swap Feb12

This is a hearty soup with a nice flavor and spice. I actually left out the tortellini because this makes soooo much soup, and I dislike soggy pasta in my soup, so instead I cooked the totellini separeately and served the soup over the pasta. Delicious!

This was a good soup! I used swiss chard, and it was really yummy in it. I used what I had on hand, so a little less sausage, and twice the beans and tortellini. The balance was just right. The lighter amount of the red pepper does make this a little spicy. The fennel blends into it and is not really distinguishable. A squeeze of lemon over it was a nice touch. I think tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes would be a great addition. Thanks, BarbryT!

This was great! I made it "almost" as written ... I forgot to use oil to brown the kielbasa (I used turkey) ... ended up having enough fat from the meat that I didn't miss the oil (ah ... less fat!). I used the full amount of red pepper flakes and all the garlic ... definitely needed. As an addition I used a can of diced tomatoes with juice (so I cut broth down to 10 cups). I'm sure the soup would be fine without the tomato but it was an addition I'm glad I did. I also cooked the tortellini separately to avoid soggy pasta and to be able to freeze the leftover soup. Only change I will make next time is to add another can of canelli beans but that's a personal preference.

I made this for my weekly soup night and everyone loved it! I used a full pound of reduced fat kielbasa, 4 cloves of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper. I used the lower amount of pepper because some of the little guys can't eat anything too spicy and it still had plenty of zing. Some of the reviews were mixed on the kale. Some of my guests said they would prefer spinach, but others insisted the kale made the soup. I think it would be great either way. This was delicious and quick to make. It tasted as if it had cooked all day. Save the salt and pepper until just ready to serve--the kielbasa and broth add plenty. Thanks for posting BarbryT, I will definitely be making this again!