Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Hearty creamy sausage tortellini soup is the perfect combination of cozy and delicious. Savory sausage and pillowy tortellini all in a tomato creamy broth make a dinner or lunch that is a bowl of comfort food.

 

Why We Love Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

• Cozy Hearty Soup – This soup is full of sausage and tortellini to make the perfect bowl that’s a great cross between soup and pasta.
• Made In Less Than 30 Minutes – Make this soup in less than 30 minutes, and most of the ingredients are easy to find at the grocery store.

Ingredients For Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

• ground Italian sausage I used mild, remove casing if using links
• onion diced, I used yellow onion
• garlic minced
• chicken broth I used low sodim
• fire-roasted diced tomatoes two 14.5 ounce cans. You can also use a mix of regular diced tomatoes and fire roasted tomatoes if you prefer, or all regular tomatoes.
• Italian seasoning
• salt
• black pepper
• cheese tortellini see notes, use refrigerated tortellini
• heavy cream half and half or heavy whipping cream also works
• grated parmesan – optional garnish
• fresh basil – optional garnish

How To Make Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup

1. In a large pot place the Italian sausage. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat breaking it into crumbles with a spatula as you cook. Brown until cooked through and no longer pink, about 8 minutes then drain any excess grease from the meat.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.

3. Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes with the juices into the pot. Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Bring the entire pot to a boil.

4. Stir in the tortellini into the pot. Cook for about five minutes or until the tortellini is tender.

5. Turn the heat down to medium heat. Pour in the heavy cream and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the soup is heated through. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Variation Ideas

Stir In Fresh Spinach – You can wilt fresh spinach by the handful into the soup. I like to chop fresh spinach before adding it to soup so it sits on the spoon easier but when I am in a hurry I just toss it in by the handful after the tortellini and cream is added.

Try Frozen Spinach – You can use frozen spinach, but I recommend defrosting it before adding it to the soup. Start with 1/4 of a brick or a couple handfuls if using the loose frozen bagged spinach.

Use Turkey Sausage – Turkey sausage can be used in this soup, as can chicken sausage. The soup will have a little less flavor but will still be delicious.

Add Red Chilli Flakes Or Hot Sauce – A few red chili flakes or a few drops of hot sauce cut through the richness of this soup and gives it a delicious punch. I like adding red chili flakes at the table as not everyone in my family enjoys spicy food.

What Do I Do If My Tortellini Package Is Not The Right Size?

The larger tortellini packages have been varying a lot more in size lately and are not as consistent in size as they used to be.

If your package is between 16-20 ounces, that will be about the right amount of pasta for this soup. If you have a smaller package of tortellini, you may need to use two packets. If your package is larger you may need to use only a portion.

Can I Use Frozen Tortellini?

Frozen tortellini can be delicious in this soup. I recommend boiling the tortellini in a separate pot of water according to the directions, then adding it to the soup. Cooking the tortellini in the soup itself can throw off the liquid ratios in the soup and make it watery.

Can I Use Dried Tortellini?

Dried tortellini can be used in this soup. You must cook the dried pasta in a separate pot of water.

When you cook a dried tortellini it tends to grow in size and almost double, soaking up all the liquid around it. If you add dried tortellini straight to the soup pot you won’t have enough broth in the soup itself as the tortellini will soak it up.

Can You Freeze This Soup?

This soup does not freeze very well due to the cream and the tortellini. The tortellini will soak up the extra broth, and will then more easily fall apart when frozen. The cream tends to separate when frozen.

If you are trying to meal prep, you could make the soup and stop right before you add the tortellini. Freeze this mixture, then add the tortellini and the cream after you defrost.

How Long Will Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup Last?

Expect this soup to last for about 3 days. Store leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator.