Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Why You’ll Love This Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe

• One pot. Sauté the ingredients and simmer the soup all in the same pot. It builds layers of flavor and keeps the dishwashing afterward to a minimum.
• Easy and flavorful. You don’t need any fancy ingredients to make this quick stovetop tortellini soup, and the ingredients it has, including tender veggies, garlic, and Italian sausage, are packed with flavor.
• Creamy. I add a splash of half-and-half right at the end of cooking to enrich the broth. There’s also the option to skip the cream if you’d prefer your tortellini soup without.

Soup Ingredients

I’ve included notes below on the important ingredients you’ll need to make this creamy sausage tortellini soup. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable ingredients list and full recipe details.

• Italian Sausage – You can also use regular pork sausage, chicken or turkey sausage, or ground beef. If your ground meat is unseasoned, consider adding extra Italian seasoning to make up the flavor.
• Onion, Carrots, and Celery – Diced up, these veggies are what’s called a “mire poix”, which creates a nice flavor base for the soup.
• Garlic – Freshly minced. You can adapt the number of cloves to taste.
• Seasonings – I season this soup with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of zing.
• Tomato Paste – If needed, substitute tomato paste with tomato sauce or passata.
• Flour – I use all-purpose flour to thicken the base of the soup. I haven’t tried other flours in this recipe.
• Chicken Broth – Use your favorite store-bought low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock. Vegetable stock will also work.
• Half-and-Half – For an even richer soup, use heavy cream. I don’t recommend using milk or anything lower in fat as it tends to curdle in the high heat.
• Tortellini – I like to use fresh refrigerated cheese tortellini. This recipe would be delicious with veggie or meat-filled tortellini, or any kind you’d like! You can also use frozen tortellini and add it to the soup straight from frozen.
• Spinach – I love adding fresh baby spinach for a pop of green. You could also add kale or chopped chard.

How to Make Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

In just a few steps, you’ll have your soup simmering away on the stovetop and ready to serve in under an hour. Here’s how to make it, and you’ll find the printable recipe instructions in the recipe card.

• Cook the sausage and veggies. Start by cooking the sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When there’s just a little pink remaining, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the veggies are softened. 
• Add the seasonings. Next, stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook that off for a minute, then stir in the tomato paste, followed by the flour.

• Add broth and cream. Slowly add the chicken broth, then bring the pot to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes (don’t forget to stir). Afterward, pour in the half-and-half and bring the soup back to a boil.

• Cook the tortellini. Once the soup is back at a boil, add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente. Feel free to add a little more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
• Finish and serve. Finally, wilt the spinach into the soup and serve right away, topped with parmesan cheese.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t overcook the sausage. The ground sausage doesn’t have to be cooked through completely after the first sear. The goal is to brown it to bring out the flavor, but it’s best if there’s still a little pink remaining afterward. This way, it finishes cooking while the soup simmers.
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Depending on the type of tortellini you’re using (fresh, frozen, etc.), the suggested cooking time that I give in the recipe may need to change. I recommend following the directions on the package to cook the tortellini al dente.
• To thin out soup that’s too thick, add a splash of chicken broth right at the end. The tortellini tends to soak up more of the broth with time, so you can add more broth when reheating the soup, too. See the section later on for storage tips.

Serving Suggestions

I serve this sausage tortellini soup garnished with parmesan, with hunks of crusty French bread on the side for dunking. It’s also great with hot water cornbread, fluffy biscuits, or a classic grilled cheese. To round out the meal, try a Greek quinoa salad or green salad tossed with Greek dressing, and a slice of banana pudding cake for dessert.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Reheat. Warm the tortellini soup in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you notice that the soup has thickened, add a little more broth when you reheat it.

More Soup Recipes

• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
• White Bean Soup
• One-Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Greek Tomato Feta Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup