1. Start by heating olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casings and crumble it into the pot, cooking until it’s browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease and set the sausage aside.

2. In the same pot, sauté the onion and celery for 4-5 minutes, until they’ve softened. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

3. Next, add the sweet potato (or carrots), tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning to the pot. If you’d like a bit of heat, stir in some red pepper flakes as well. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

5. Now, it’s time to add the tortellini to the pot. Follow the package instructions, typically 3-5 minutes for fresh tortellini or 5-7 minutes for frozen, until the pasta is cooked through.

6. Finally, stir in the heavy cream and the fresh spinach or kale. Gently heat the soup until the greens are wilted and the cream is fully incorporated.