Preparation

• Dice the onion into ¼-inch pieces, peel and slice carrots into ¼-inch rounds, slice mushrooms ¼-inch thick, chop celery stalks into ½-inch pieces, and mince garlic cloves. Remove kale stems and chop leaves into 1-inch ribbons. Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking ensures the soup comes together smoothly without scrambling for ingredients mid-cooking.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and carrot slices, cooking for about 3 minutes until they begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped celery, cooking for another 2-3 minutes to allow the mushrooms to release their moisture and develop deeper flavor.
• Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to caramelize it slightly. Add the paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, stirring well to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half (roughly 1-2 minutes), then add the vegetable broth. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• After the 20-minute simmer, increase heat to medium-high and add the tortellini directly to the pot. Stir gently and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tortellini float to the surface and are tender.
• Remove from heat and stir in the ¾ cup parmesan cheese until melted, then pour in the room-temperature heavy cream, stirring gently. Finally, stir in the chopped kale and let it wilt from the residual heat for about 1-2 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with additional grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.