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In a large saucepan, cook sausage together with Italian seasoning, chopped onion, and minced garlic until browned.
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Add chicken broth, diced carrots, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil.
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Once the soup is boiling, reduce it to simmer (a visible boil), cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 10 or 15 minutes until the carrots are tender.
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Add tortellini and spinach to soup in the pot, cover with a lid and boil on low simmer for about 5 minutes or until tortellini is cooked and the spinach is wilted
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Remove the soup from the heat. Add the cream and stir it in.
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Season with salt and more red pepper flakes (add spice especially if you did not use spicy sausage).
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Top with bacon bits (or chopped cooked bacon), grated parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme.