Start by cooking the Italian sausage in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Break it into small pieces as it cooks. Once browned and cooked through, remove it from the pot and set it aside.

Using the same pot, add your chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté them in the sausage drippings for a couple of minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.

Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir everything together until you have a rich, tomatoey base ready to be seasoned.

Add the dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the pot to a simmer and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes to really develop those flavors.

Add the cheese tortellini to the pot and cook according to the package instructions. You’ll know they’re ready when they float to the surface. This usually takes about 7-9 minutes.

Stir the browned sausage back into the pot and give everything a good mix. Let it heat through for a few minutes.

Turn off the heat and add fresh spinach leaves. Stir until the spinach wilts beautifully into the soup.