This one-pot Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup is a quick, comforting dish that is hearty, satisfying and exceptionally delicious. One of the best meals you can make on a cold winter night.
You gotta love a one-pot, one-bowl meal that is easy and quick to make on a weeknight. Here you’ll get delectable cheesy tortellini, loads of vegetables and enticing bites of Italian sausage, all simmering in a creamy tomato broth with aromatic herbs and spices.
Using store-bought tortellini, broth and canned tomatoes means this soup comes together in under 40 minutes — though it will taste like you slaved over it for hours.
Despite using very basic ingredients, this tortellini soup is memorably delicious. Exactly the kind of comfort food that chilly evenings call for.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe.
- This is a one-pot, one-bowl tortellini soup recipe that the whole family will love.
- A budget-friendly way to deliver delicious comforting flavours.
- You can have this delicious pasta soup on the table in less than 40 minutes.
- Customizable with your favourite sausage, vegetables and herbs.
- Leftovers are delicious the next day.
Key Ingredients And Substitution
- Tortellini – I used frozen cheese tortellini for this soup but you can use any variety of frozen tortellini you enjoy, such as spinach and cheese. You can also use fresh tortellini, or refrigerated tortellini which you can find in the fresh pasta aisle in the supermarket.
- Italian sausage – Any variety of sausage will work but Italian sausage is made with spices that add great flavour to this soup. Use hot Italian sausage for a bit of heat.
- Veggies – For maximum flavour, and to get more veggies in, this creamy tortellini and sausage soup includes onion, carrots, celery and garlic. If you’re pressed for time, however, you can make it with just onion and garlic and it will be equally delicious.
- Tomato paste and whole tomatoes – For a rich and deeply flavoured sauce, I like to use both double-concentrated tomato paste and a small can of crushed tomatoes.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – I use chicken broth in this tortellini soup but beef or vegetable stock will also work.
- Heavy Cream – I rarely add cream to my soups but I love tortellini with a creamier sauce. You can use half and half if you prefer.
- Spices – Italian seasoning adds great flavour to this soup. If you don’t have any, you can use a mix of dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
- Kale – To help make this soup more nutritious, I like to include a green leafy veggie. Kale is delicious here but you can also use baby spinach or Swiss chard.
Note: Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make Tortellini And Sausage Soup
Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the Italian sausage until browned, breaking into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon.
Stir in the diced onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the canned tomatoes then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour in the cream followed by the chopped kale and tortellini. Cook until tortellini is al dente, or according to the package instructions. If using fresh tortellini, it will be ready in about 2 minutes.
Stir in chopped fresh basil, if using. Taste and season with a little more salt and pepper, as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately with hot crusty bread and parmesan cheese at the table, if desired.
Note: Find the detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card below.
FAQ’s
Absolutely. Use vegetable broth and simply omit the sausage, or use a plant-based one to make this soup vegetarian. However, Italian sausage adds a lot of flavour to the soup so you will have to up the spices. Fennel is the spice that gives Italian sausage its distinctive Italian flavour so consider adding a mixture of whole or cracked fennel seed and ground fennel. You can also add a bit of paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes.
A dairy-free version of this soup is very doable and also delicious. Use dairy-free tortellini and a dairy-free cream such as oat cream or cashew cream.
Yes, you can use a different type of pasta in this recipe. However, I would recommend sticking to a stuffed pasta such as Ravioli. Though not pasta, gnocchi would also be great in this soup.
Yes you absolutely can! You will have to start by browning the sausage and sautéing the vegetables on the stovetop, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the broth, tomato paste, tomatoes, spices and seasonings. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, then add the heavy cream, tortellini and kale during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Tips
Dice the veggies small. You really want the veggies to cook quickly so make sure you dice them nice and small.
Add more veggies. For an even more veggie-loaded soup, I often add finely chopped zucchini and/or red peppers.
Use enough broth. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it’s okay if it seems saucy.
Stir in a Parmesan cheese rind. If you keep your parmesan rinds (I freeze mine) add one to this tortellini soup. It will add great salty flavour and help thicken the soup.
Add the tortellini in batches. If you’re not planning to eat all of the soup at once, you may want to add the tortellini in batches or they will keep drinking the broth until there is little left. Likewise, store the tortellini and soup separately. If left in the soup, the tortellini will soak up too much of the broth and become gummy.
Storage Suggestions
- To store: I recommend storing the tortellini and soup separately. If left in the soup, the tortellini will soak up too much of the broth and become gummy. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop until just heated through. You may need to add a 1/2 cup more broth to make it more soupy.
More Hearty Soup Recipes You Might Like
- Lentil and Brown Rice Soup
- Instant Pot Barley Minestrone Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Curried Red Lentil Soup
If you give this Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!
Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed (see notes)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to finish
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to finish
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning mix (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or 1 cup passata)
- cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3/4 cup (80g) heavy cream or half and half
- 1 14-ounce package cheese tortellini (see notes)
- 1/2 bunch kale thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil optional
- grated parmesan for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the diced onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and celery and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the veggies are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes then pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits that stuck to the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the heavy cream, tortellini and chopped kale. Cook according to the package instructions or until tortellini is al dente. If using fresh tortellini, it will be ready in about 2 minutes.
- Stir in chopped fresh basil, if using. Taste and season with a little more salt and pepper, as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately with hot crusty bread and parmesan cheese at the table, if desired.
Notes
- Sausage: You can use any sausage you like here, including plant-based. However, if it doesn’t have Italian seasoning, consider adding some crushed fennel seeds and paprika.
- Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, substitute with a mix of dried oregano, thyme, basil and rosemary. If you have marjoram you can add a pinch of that as well. You don’t have to use all of them, just make sure you have at least 2 teaspoons of a mix in total.
- Tortellini: You can use a smaller amount of tortellini (9-10 ounces) just be sure to reduce the broth to 4 cups. The rest of the ingredients will not need to be adjusted.
- Use enough broth. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it’s okay if it seems saucy.
- To store: Store the tortellini and soup separately. If left in the soup, the tortellini will soak up too much of the broth and become gummy.Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop until just heated through. You may need to add a 1/2 cup more broth to make it more soupy.
Note: If you use lacinato (also known as Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale or cavolo nero), remove and discard the thick stems, coarsely chop the leaves and cook the greens until they reach the desired tenderness.
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