The ultimate BEST EVER creamy Italian sausage soup! Less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Read the rave reviews!! via chelseasmessyapron.com

Sausage Tortellini Soup combines Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, veggies, and herbs in a creamy broth. Top with Parmesan and serve with crusty bread for a satisfying meal.

Sausage Tortellini Soup in a bowl.Why This Sausage Tortellini Soup Is the Best

  1. Hearty: Filled with tortellini, sausage, and veggies for a complete meal.
  2. Flavorful: Creamy broth enriched with Italian sausage and herbs.
  3. Adaptable: Options for mild or spicy sausage and different tortellini.
  4. Simple: Easy to make with practical tips for added taste.
  5. Leftover-friendly: Tips for storing and reheating maintain quality.

Sausage being browned and crumbled, and the veggies being sautéed in the pot.

Ingredients In Sausage Tortellini Soup

  • Olive Oil: Used to sauté the sausage and veggies, adding flavor and preventing sticking.
  • Italian Sausage: Blot excess grease for a less oily soup.
  • Yellow Onion and Carrots: Sauté until soft for the best flavor development.
  • Garlic: Sauté for just a minute to avoid burning.
  • Unsalted Butter and Flour: Create a roux, which thickens the soup. Whisk constantly to prevent lumps.
  • Chicken Broth/Stock: Serves as the soup’s base, adding a savory depth. Use a quality stock for richer flavor.
  • Three Cheese Tortellini: Provides a hearty, cheesy texture and flavor. Cook separately to prevent bloating in leftovers.
  • Italian Seasoning: Adjust to your taste preference.
  • Baby Spinach: Coarsely chop for even distribution.
  • Half and Half or Heavy Cream: Makes the soup creamy and rich. Use heavy cream for a thicker, richer soup.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Grate fresh for the best flavor.

Flour, chicken stock, seasonings, spinach, and half and half being added to the pot.

How To Make Sausage Tortellini Soup

  1. Boil tortellini as directed, drain.
  2. Brown sausage in olive oil, remove, and drain.
  3. Sauté onions, carrots, and garlic in pot.
  4. Add butter and flour, then slowly whisk in chicken broth and simmer.
  5. Mix in sausage, seasoning, spinach, and cream; simmer until spinach wilts.
  6. Serve with tortellini in bowls, topped with Parmesan.

Soup simmering and the tortellini being cooked separately.

Tips For Success

  • Salt Water: Season tortellini water well; adjust Sausage Tortellini Soup seasoning as needed.
  • Sauté Veggies Well: Ensure onions and carrots are fully softened to avoid crunchiness.
  • Quality Stock: Use high-quality chicken stock for better flavor.
  • Prevent Flour Sticking: Stir flour well to avoid it settling and ensure proper thickening.
  • Adjust Heat: Use spicy sausage or add red pepper flakes for more heat if desired.

Sausage Tortellini Soup in a bowl with a spoon in it.

Storage

  • Refrigerate: Store soup and tortellini separately in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: Avoid freezing the Sausage Tortellini Soup due to dairy and tortellini, which can separate and become mushy upon thawing.
  • Reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stove, adding tortellini last to prevent over-swelling. Do not boil.

More Soup Recipes

4.97 from 28 votes

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Sausage Tortellini Soup combines Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, veggies, and herbs in a creamy broth. Top with Parmesan and serve with crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 19 ounces Italian sausage hot or mild
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, (~1 small onion)
  • 1 cup peeled and finely diced large carrots, (~2-3 carrots)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (~3-4 cloves)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups chicken broth or stock (I recommend Swanson's chicken stock)
  • 1 pkg. (12 oz.) three cheese tortellini (See Note 1)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 3 ounces (4 cups lightly packed) fresh baby spinach stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to preference
  • Optional: crusty baguette for serving

Instructions 

  • TORTELLINI: See Note 2. If you'd prefer to cook the tortellini separately, start it now. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt, generously (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups). Add tortellini and cook according to package directions, minus 1 minute. Remove, drain, and run under cold water for 30 seconds.
  • SAUSAGE: In a large pot over medium-high heat, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and then add in the sausage. Cook and crumble the sausage until browned. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate and dab with another paper towel to blot the grease. Set aside.
  • VEGGIES: Keeping the pot at medium-high heat, add in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil along with the diced onion, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper, (I add 1/4 teaspoon each.) Sautรฉ, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sautรฉ for one more minute, stirring occasionally. Add in the butter and allow to melt.
  • STOCK: Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly add in the chicken broth or stock, whisking to combine. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer and thicken for about 5-8 minutes.
  • FINISHING SOUP: Return the cooked sausage to the pan, along with Italian seasoning, (if using frozen tortellini, add it in here), and salt and pepper (to taste, I add about 1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper). Add in the coarsely chopped spinach, and half & half or heavy cream to the pot. Stir and then simmer on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted (and the tortellini is cooked through, if using frozen).
  • SERVE: Serve immediately with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and a crusty baguette, if desired.ย If tortellini was cooked separately, add spoonfuls of cooked tortellini to individual bowls. Store tortellini and leftover soup separately to avoid pasta bloating.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: While really any tortellini works, our favorite readily available shelf-stable tortellini is Barillaยฎ Artisanal Collection Three-Cheese Tortellini. As for fresh-made tortellini, we love Giovanni Rana'sยฎ Classic Cheese Mini Tortellini. They're a little more tricky to find (depending on your grocery store), but they're fresh, delicious, and small so they incorporate better into the soup. If you'd like to cook the tortellini in the soup (instead of separately), you'll want to get frozen tortellini that cooks in about 3-5 minutes.
Note 2: We like to cook the tortellini separately to keep it from getting bloated and in case there are leftovers. (The tortellini continues to absorb liquid and becomes an unpleasant texture when stored.) If you'd like to cook it separately, start by bringing a pot of water to boil and cook it in a separate pot. Ignore instructions for adding the tortellini into the soup to cook and simply add cooked tortellini to individual bowls when serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1547mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8414IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hi there! Iโ€™m Chelseaโ€“the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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4.97 from 28 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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50 Comments

  1. Coco says:

    Looks good

    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks Coco!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Debbie B. says:

    5 stars
    Thanks for the helpful hints. I used them. I cooked the tortellini separately. Worked very well.

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Debbie! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Sheryl says:

    5 stars
    One of my favorite soup recipes! I have made it several times and it is always a winner. Sometimes spicy sometimes mild. Also used kale instead of spinach once or twice. I am making this as written this weekend for a handful of friends. I usually make crusty bread but this time I am going to make a pepperoni and cheese monkey bread. Thank you for a great recipe.

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Sheryl! ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Sheryl says:

        No tortellini to be had at our only grocery store. I am pulling out the pasta maker and making them from scratch.

        1. Chelsea says:

          You’re amazing!!

  4. Laura says:

    5 stars
    This soup was amazing! Both my husband and I loved it! Can’t wait to take it to a pitch-in. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Laura! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Man chef says:

    5 stars
    This soup is amazing! Everyone loves it. We use the spicy sausage to give it a little kick. Thanks Chelsea!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Delish! So glad it was a hit! Thanks for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚