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Tortellini Soup is the ultimate cozy, one-pot meal. Featuring a rich tomato broth, hearty Italian sausage, tender kale, and cheese-filled tortellini, this flavorful soup comes together in just under 30 minutes. It’s as easy as it is satisfying!
If you are like me and you love rich, cheesy pasta dishes, this Tortellini soup will be the soup of your dreams! Incredibly rich and flavorful, yet deceptively easy to make. Pair it with homemade garlic toast and an Italian tossed salad, for an easy meal that everyone will love!
Ingredients at a Glance
- Sausage: Any type (pork, chicken, or turkey) of raw Italian sausage works well in this soup. Select mild to control the spice level or hot if you like things really spicy.
- Chicken stock: Use low-sodium to control the sodium level.
- Tortellini: Cheese tortellini is the classic choice, but spinach works well too.
- Crushed Tomatoes: For a rich, smooth tomato-based broth.
- Kale: Stem removed and chopped in bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, use baby spinach in place of the chopped kale.
- Cream: Use cream for a really rich finish or half and half for a lighter, yet still decadent-tasting soup.
- Seasonings: Dried Oregano, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt will enhance the flavors in the sausage and tortellini.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds rich, deep notes and the acidity will balance out the overall richness of the tortellini soup.
- For Serving: Fresh minced parsley and parmesan cheese both make delicious toppings to this soup.
How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sauté Sausage. Heat a bit of oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pan or Dutch Oven. Add the Italian sausage and minced onions and sauté, breaking up the sausage as it cooks until nearly browned, then add in the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, and toast briefly to enhance their flavor.
- Build Broth. Stir in the stock, crushed tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, a pinch of kosher salt, and balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer.
- Add Tortellini, Kale, and Cream. Once the soup has simmered and the flavors have had to time to meld together, add in the tortellini, chopped kale, and cream. Simmer just until the tortellini is tender and the kale has just wilted.
- Serve. Serve the tortellini soup as is or with minced parsley and grated parmesan cheese.
Modifications for Tortellini Soup
- Make it Vegetarian: Leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock for a meatless tortellini soup that still packs a ton a flavor.
- Lower the Fat: This recipe in and of itself is not particularly low in fat or calories. You can decrease the fat and calories by using lean turkey or chicken Italian sausage in place of pork sausage and omitting the cream. The tortellini will still be rich enough to make this soup feel decadent.
- Control the Spice: Increase or decrease the crushed pepper flakes to taste. Keep in mind that using mild Italian sausage instead of hot Italian sausage, will result in a milder spice level, while hot Italian sausage will make the soup rather spicy.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the tortellini soup to cool slightly and then transfer it to an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this soup due to the addition of the heavy cream, as it can easily separate when frozen.
- Reheat: Reheat individual servings in heat-safe bowls covered with a damp paper towel in 60-second intervals until warmed through or reheat several servings in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Keep in mind that the tortellini will absorb liquid as it sits, so you may need to thin the soup out with additional broth.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Baked Potato Soup
- Potato Corn Chowder
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Vegetable Beef Soup
If you enjoyed this recipe for Tortellini Soup, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
This Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup is a one-pot cozy soup recipe featuring a rich and creamy tomato broth, Italian sausage, kale, and cheese tortellini. It is guaranteed to leave you satisfied!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Homemade Italian Sausage, pork, turkey, or chicken
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or chicken stock
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini, refrigerated or frozen
- 5 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley or basil and parmesan, optional for serving
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in 1 medium yellow onion (minced) and 1 pound Homemade Italian Sausage and sauté, breaking up the sausage as it browns. Once the meat is nearly browned, add in 2 cloves garlic (minced), ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon dried oreganoand sauté for 1 minute longer. If needed, remove the pan from the heat and drain off any excess grease. Return the pan to the stove.
- Stir in the 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt into the sausage mixture and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in 9 ounces cheese tortellini, 5 cups chopped kale, and ½ cup heavy creamand simmer until the tortellini is tender and the kale is wilted for about 8-12 minutes.
- Serve with fresh chopped parsley or basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Sausage: Use your favorite variety or mild ground Italian sausage. Chicken, pork, or turkey all work well. Or omit the sausage for a vegetarian soup.
Using Spinach in place of Kale: Fresh spinach needs less cooking time than kale, meaning you will only need to simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat through after adding to the soup.
Reduce Fat and Calories: Decrease the fat and calories by using lean turkey or chicken Italian sausage in place of pork sausage and omitting the cream. Nutrition has been calculated using pork sausage and heavy cream.
Storage: Allow the tortellini soup to cool slightly and then transfer it to an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in heat-safe bowls covered with a damp paper towel in 60-second intervals until warmed through or reheat several servings in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Calories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 22gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 595mgPotassium: 686mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 6061IUVitamin C: 75mgCalcium: 197mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe for Sausage Tortellini Soup was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2024.
Have you ever used dried tortellini with this??? I have a bag and curious if I could use it in this???
Hi Lynn! I haven’t personally tried that, but would assume it would work. It will just need to simmer longer 🙂
This soup is amazing! We have made this soup several times and it is one of our favorites! it is warm, hearty, and comforting. We especially like it with hot Italian sausage, it boosts the spice level which my husband loves! Thanks for such a great recipe!
I think I found my new favorite soup! This was so tasty. It hit the spot on this chilly night. Can’t wait to make again!
I love hearing that Gina!
This is so great! I always enjoy soups with a meat ingredient for all my meat lovers in my home! But you also have a tasty vegetarian version that is sure to be a hit too! Delish!