I’m excited to share my Tortellini Soup With Sausage recipe, featuring Italian sausage, cheese-filled tortellini, and a creamy broth made from simple pantry staples.

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I love a bowl that behaves like comfort food but wont take all night. In my Easy Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup I let Italian sausage take center stage and toss in cheese tortellini for that little pillowy surprise.

It looks like something gourmet but it’s mostly shortcuts and confidence, so you get big, savory flavor without the fuss. I’ve seen versions called Easy Sausage Tortellini Soup or mentioned in Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipes, but this one keeps things fast and oddly satisfying.

I cant promise it will be pretty, but you will want seconds.

Ingredients

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Savory, high in protein and fat, adds spice and meaty richness to the soup
Pillowy pasta stuffed with cheese, gives carbs and creamy texture, comfort-food staple
Bright leafy green packed with fiber iron and vitamin K, wilts quickly
Makes soup silky and rich, high in fat so use sparingly if watching calories
Add slight acidity and sweetness, low calorie, boost vitamin C and flavor
Salty umami punch, adds savory depth and finish, also adds protein calcium
Natural sweetness and fiber, give body and a little crunch if not overcooked
Pungent aromatics, adds depth and warmth, may help immune system a bit

Ingredient Quantities

1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

9 to 12 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 cup heavy cream or half and half, use more or less to taste

3 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

How to Make this

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1. Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and 1 tablespoon olive oil if your sausage is lean; break up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain or spoon off excess fat if it seems greasy, but leave a little for flavor.

2. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery to the pot with the sausage, cook until softened about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the veg picks up the browned bits.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using, cook another 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not burned.

4. Pour in 4 cups low sodium chicken broth and the 1
4.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, scrape the bottom of the pot to release browned bits, bring to a simmer.

5. Add 9 to 12 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini to the simmering broth; cook according to package directions (usually 3 to 6 minutes) until tortellini are just tender. Don’t overcook or they turn mushy.

6. Once tortellini are done, lower heat and stir in 1 cup heavy cream or half and half, add 3 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale and let wilt gently, heat through but don’t let it boil hard after adding cream.

7. Stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and combined, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.

8. If soup is too thick add a splash more broth or water, if you want it richer add a little more cream, and if it’s too greasy skim or chill briefly and remove fat from top.

9. Serve hot with extra grated Parmesan, crusty bread, and maybe a drizzle of olive oil or a crack of black pepper. Leftovers reheat well, add a little extra broth when reheating because tortellini will soak up liquid.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot 6 to 8 quarts is perfect
2. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to break up and stir the sausage
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion carrots and celery
4. Cutting board, ideally a big one
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth cream and seasonings
6. Can opener for the diced tomatoes
7. Box grater or microplane for fresh Parmesan
8. Ladle for serving plus a slotted spoon or tongs if you want to fish out tortellini

FAQ

Q: Can I make this vegetarian? A: Yes. Swap the Italian sausage for a vegetarian sausage or use a can of cannellini beans and extra mushrooms, use vegetable broth instead of chicken, and add the cream at the end. It wont be exactly the same but still creamy and satisfying.

Q: Can I use frozen tortellini or should I use the refrigerated kind? A: Both work. Refrigerated tortellini usually takes 3 to 5 minutes in simmering soup, frozen about 5 to 7 minutes. Add tortellini near the end so it stays al dente, dont let it boil away for too long.

Q: How long will leftovers keep and how do I reheat them? A: Store in the fridge up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low to medium heat, add a splash of broth or cream if it got too thick, stir often so it warms evenly.

Q: Can I freeze the soup? A: You can, but pasta gets mushy. Best method is to freeze the soup base (sausage, veggies, broth, tomatoes) for up to 3 months and add fresh or frozen tortellini when you reheat. If you freeze the fully assembled soup, expect softer tortellini after thawing.

Q: How do I thicken or thin the soup? A: To thicken, simmer uncovered to reduce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 tablespoon cold water) and heat until it thickens, or stir in more Parmesan. To thin, add hot broth or even a little water until you get the texture you want.

Q: I dont want it too spicy, any tips? A: Use mild Italian sausage and skip or cut back the red pepper flakes. If it ends up too spicy, stir in extra cream or a spoonful of sugar to mellow the heat, and add more broth or tortellini to dilute the spice.

Easy Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Italian sausage: Swap for 1 pound ground turkey or chicken and boost the seasoning with 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning plus 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds or a little extra salt. It wont be as fatty but still packs flavor.
Heavy cream or half and half: Use 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup melted butter to mimic cream, or use evaporated milk for a lighter option. For dairy free try full fat coconut milk, taste and add more if you want it richer.
Cheese tortellini: Replace with frozen ravioli, small pasta shells, or gnocchi. Add them straight to the simmering soup and cook until tender, following package times, frozen will take longer than fresh.
Low sodium chicken broth: Swap for low sodium vegetable broth, or use water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons bouillon or a bouillon cube and adjust salt to taste.

Pro Tips

1) Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the sausage. Do it in batches if needed so you get good color, scrape up those brown bits, and spoon off most of the fat but leave a little for flavor.

2) To keep tortellini from turning to mush cook them just shy of the package time in salted water, then finish them in the simmering soup for a minute or two. Or if you add them straight to the soup, undercook them by a minute so they dont overdo it.

3) Add the cream and Parmesan off or on very low heat so it doesnt break or curdle. Toss a Parmesan rind into the simmer for extra depth and pull it out before serving. Also taste before salting, sausage and cheese already add a lot.

4) Use quick wilting greens like spinach at the end so they stay bright, or if you use kale massage it with a little olive oil and add earlier so it softens. Leftovers: tortellini will soak up liquid, so add an extra splash of broth when reheating.

Easy Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe

Recipe by Sarah level

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my Tortellini Soup With Sausage recipe, featuring Italian sausage, cheese-filled tortellini, and a creamy broth made from simple pantry staples.

Servings

servings

Calories

569

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy-bottomed pot 6 to 8 quarts is perfect
2. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to break up and stir the sausage
3. Chef’s knife for chopping onion carrots and celery
4. Cutting board, ideally a big one
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth cream and seasonings
6. Can opener for the diced tomatoes
7. Box grater or microplane for fresh Parmesan
8. Ladle for serving plus a slotted spoon or tongs if you want to fish out tortellini

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
9 to 12 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup heavy cream or half and half, use more or less to taste
3 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and 1 tablespoon olive oil if your sausage is lean; break up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain or spoon off excess fat if it seems greasy, but leave a little for flavor.
Add the diced onion, carrots and celery to the pot with the sausage, cook until softened about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the veg picks up the browned bits.
Stir in the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using, cook another 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not burned.
Pour in 4 cups low sodium chicken broth and the 1
5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, scrape the bottom of the pot to release browned bits, bring to a simmer.
Add 9 to 12 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini to the simmering broth; cook according to package directions (usually 3 to 6 minutes) until tortellini are just tender. Don't overcook or they turn mushy.
Once tortellini are done, lower heat and stir in 1 cup heavy cream or half and half, add 3 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped kale and let wilt gently, heat through but don't let it boil hard after adding cream.
Stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and combined, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
If soup is too thick add a splash more broth or water, if you want it richer add a little more cream, and if it's too greasy skim or chill briefly and remove fat from top.
Serve hot with extra grated Parmesan, crusty bread, and maybe a drizzle of olive oil or a crack of black pepper. Leftovers reheat well, add a little extra broth when reheating because tortellini will soak up liquid.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.