Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup is brimming with tender cheese tortellini, flavorful sausage crumbles, and veggies, all simmered together in a deliciously creamy broth.

I’m passionate about cooking soup, and this recipe is wonderfully simple, requiring just one pot. Despite its rich and savory flavors, this sausage tortellini soup is a quick dish that doesn’t require cooking all day – it’s ready in less than an hour. The combination of sausage crumbles, spinach, and a creamy base gives it a delightful resemblance to Zuppa Toscana. Additionally, it’s loaded with cheese tortellini, making it an equally appealing pasta soup.

Sausage Tortellini Soup Ingredients

• Olive Oil: For sauteing.
• Sausage: For this recipe, I use a pound of Italian sausage. Sweet or hot is up to you.
• Onion: You’ll need one small onion, diced. I prefer yellow onions, but white and Vidalia are also okay.
• Celery: Thinly slice about 3 celery stalks.
• Carrots: Peel and slice two medium carrots.
• Garlic: You’ll need about four cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press.
• Salt & Pepper: I usually use a teaspoon or so of kosher salt and half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
• Thyme, Oregano & Rosemary: You’ll need half a teaspoon of each. 
• Chicken Broth: As always, use homemade broth if you can, but store-bought is also fine. I typically use low sodium chicken broth for the best results. Vegetable broth will work, too.
• Heavy Cream: You can also use half & half, if you’d prefer.
• Tortellini: You’ll need 9 to 12 ounces of refrigerated cheese tortellini, or you can substitute your favorite tortellini flavor, such as spinach or sundried tomato.
• Spinach: I like to add fresh baby spinach to this recipe.

How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup

I love recipes like this that come together in one pot! All the coziness without the extra dishes!

1. Sauté Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage to the heated oil and cook, breaking it up into little pieces, until browned.
2. Add Veggies, Except Spinach: To the sausage, add the onions, celery and carrots. Sauté until the veggies are soft. 
3. Add Seasonings: Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. 
4. Add Broth & Simmer: Add the chicken broth to the pot, stirring to combine. Bring the soup to a steady boil, and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add Cream, Tortellini, & Spinach: Stir the cream into the soup, bring the soup back to a simmer, and then add the tortellini and spinach. Cook for 5 to 6 more minutes. Remove the soup from the heat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly before serving.

Recipe Tips And Variations

• Add Depth: If you want a bit more deep umami flavor in the broth, try adding a bit of Parmesan rind to the cooking soup. Discard before serving. You can also sprinkle grated Parmesan over each serving.
• Make a Bread Bowl: You can purchase small boules (round loaves) at your local bakery and transform them into the perfect vehicle for this comforting soup: a bread bowl! Just slice off the top, scoop out the inside, and brush with oil before toasting and filling.
• Substitute Sausage: You can substitute just about any sausage in this dish, from sliced kielbasa to chicken or turkey sausage to vegan sausage crumbles. These should be browned well, set aside, and added back to the soup at the end of cooking.
• Cream Options: While heavy cream gives the best richness, half and half is a lighter alternative.
• Vegetable Varieties: Enhance your soup with additional vegetables like potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers for extra flavor and texture.

Serving Suggestions

Make this meal even heartier with my Soft Parmesan Dinner Rolls! Also, these tasty Zucchini Fritters and my Romano Beans are loaded with flavor and make a festive addition to the table. A burst of fresh flavor and a whole lot of nutrition is packed into this colorful Avocado Tomato Salad and this Cucumber Salad.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Cool the leftovers to room temperature and then place in airtight storage containers. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
• To reheat, transfer the leftovers to a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until just heated through.

My Favorite Soup Recipes

• Ham Bone Soup
• Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup
• Creamy Ravioli Soup
• Quick and Easy Instant Pot Corn Chowder