This Italian sausage tortellini soup recipe is loaded with flavorful sausage and cheesy pasta in an irresistible creamy tomato broth. It has very little prep time and can be on your table in just 40 minutes!
If you're not sold yet, it also happens to be a one pot soup! Easy peasy. Or you can try my similar Crockpot tortellini soup with sausage.
Creamy sausage tortellini soup
You know that feeling you get when you eat the perfect bowl of soup, and it warms you up from the inside out? Yes, this cheese tortellini soup with sausage is the best comfort food meal on a chilly day! Italian sausage and tortellini are an iconic duo, and the creamy tomato broth is mouthwatering.
One of the awesome things about this soup is that it has minimal prep time. Chop the onion and celery, crumble the sausage (or use sausage meat), and that's essentially it. It means that a complete and filling dinner for your whole family is ready faster on busy weeknights. You'll even have time to make my 10-minute homemade Caesar salad dressing for a side salad.
What makes this soup so tasty
- Italian sausage - this variety of sausage adds protein to the soup and has a fantastic blend of herbs and spices
- Onion, celery, and garlic - these staples are the building blocks to any good soup
- Flour - to thicken the broth
- Garlic - one of my favorite ingredients to take soups to the next level!
- Chicken broth - gives the soup additional cozy flavor versus just using water
- Diced tomatoes - tomatoes complement the sausage, and using the juices too is important for depth of flavor
- Italian seasoning - this blend of herbs including rosemary, oregano, and thyme makes the soup special, or you can sub with fresh herbs of your choice
- Cheese tortellini - I use refrigerated tortellini because it cooks faster, but you're welcome to use dried; just note that it'll take longer to cook
- Heavy cream - don't skip the cream! It makes it an out-of-this-world delicious soup
- Spinach - tossing in a handful of baby spinach sneaks in some extra veggies
How to make Italian sausage tortellini soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven sauté the crumbled sausage meat until browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, drain most of the fat, and then cook the chopped onion and celery.
Add in the flour and garlic and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the chicken broth.
Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and sausage meat. Bring to a boil, add in the pasta, and simmer. Finally, stir in the cream and spinach.
Substitutions and variations
- Be careful subbing the cream because the acidity of the tomatoes may curdle anything with a lower fat content than heavy cream.
- Try a different variety of sausage like chicken or turkey to change it up.
- If you're not a fan of regular diced tomatoes, use petite diced tomatoes or tomato sauce instead.
- Craving something spicy? Throw in some crushed red pepper flakes or use hot Italian sausage.
- If spinach isn't your thing, try kale, but let it cook for a little bit longer.
- This recipe is very flexible, so add in more veggies if you happen to have any on hand that need using up.
Make ahead tip
- If you plan on having leftovers, add the cheese tortellini to individual portions instead when you reheat them. That way, the pasta will cook quickly right in the soup when you need it and won't have gone too soft!
Leftovers and storage
- I recommend eating this soup within a couple of days. The tortellini will soak up the broth and puff up the longer it's in the fridge.
- You can freeze this soup, but if you want to freeze the entire batch, it's best to leave out the cream, spinach, and tortellini and then add them when you're reheating.
- If you freeze leftovers as-is, the pasta may not have the same texture as when first cooked.
What to serve sausage tortellini soup with
- This is a hearty soup, but a slice of garlic bread would be wonderful with it!
- You can't go wrong with a Caesar salad, or try my simple parmesan arugula salad.
- Shaved parmesan cheese takes this soup over the top.
I hope you try this sausage and tortellini soup recipe! Questions? Ask me in the comments below!
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
- 1/2 medium onion chopped finely
- 2 sticks celery chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 generous cups refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the sausage meat to a large soup pot (if using whole sausages, take the sausage meat out of its casings and crumble it into the pot). Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, or until the sausage is browned all over.
- Take the sausage out of the pot and set it aside on a paper towel lined plate. Leave about a tablespoon of the fat in the pot (drain any excess).
- Add the onion and celery to the pot and cook for 4 minutes or so, then add the flour and garlic and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken broth slowly and stir until the flour has completely dissolved.
- Add the canned tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the pot. Also add the sausage back in. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- Once it's boiling, add the tortellini and reduce the heat so it's gently simmering. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
- For the sausages, anything around the 16 ounce/1 pound ballpark is fine - it doesn't need to be exact. Here in Canada I buy a 500g 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages for this soup. Ground sausage meat is fine too!
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on November 28, 2017. It's been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
Bethany says
Will this soup freeze well?
Natasha says
See the "leftovers and storage" section of the blog post for tips.
Melissa K says
We have made this several times now.
Whenever we make this for guests, someone always asks for the recipe.
Easy to make and everyone loves it.
Natasha says
That's awesome!! Thank you!!
Y.L. says
I made this soup for lunch for friends and it got rave reviews!! So easy to make and very tasty!! Thank you for a great recipe!
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! 😀 Thanks for your review!
Rachael Grant says
This tortellini soup recipe is absolutely divine! I've made it twice now and it is very satisfying. I wouldn't change anything!
Natasha says
That makes me so happy!
Lisa Holbrook says
Wonder if anyone has substituted sun dried tomatoes for the can?
Natasha says
I think that could be delicious!
Patty H. says
I tried making for dinner tonight. Is very good love it. Only added one small thing little basil. . It’s now added to my line up of meals. Thanks😊
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! Thank you!
Ruth R. says
Absolutely delicious!! So easy and flavorful. This is definitely a soup that we will make frequently.
Natasha says
So happy to hear it!
Kari I says
Delicious! I didn’t have spinach so i skipped it but amazing flavor and my whole family liked it, even my 22month old! Thank you! Will definitely make again!
Natasha says
That's wonderful to hear, Kari! 🙂
Laura Walters says
This soup is definitely my families new all time favourite soup.
I did leave out the tomato's (as my husband doesn't like them), but I added red pepper and LOTS of finely chopped spinach. Have made this with tortellini and just regular pasta. Both are great. Also top with Parmesan cheese! Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe! *TODDLER APPROVED*
Natasha says
I'm glad it was a hit! 😀
Donna Rowe says
I have dried tortellini, should I cook it before I put in soup?
Natasha says
Yes.
Donna says
Thanks so much, making this today😋
Matt Clark says
Great recipe, have made this several times. This last time I threw in some cream cheese along with all the other ingredients, turned out great as well. Thanks for sharing
Natasha says
Wonderful! You're very welcome!
Dawn Hoffman says
Hi,
If I am making this a couple of days ahead, should I cook the tortellini and spinach with the soup? Or should I cook them right before serving the soup?
Natasha says
I'd just add them directly to the soup when reheating (no need to pre-cook the tortellini as it'll cook in the soup).
Cathy Perger says
This was soooo delicious! I did change two things. I don’t like really hot food so I used mild Italian sausage. Also, I had two cans of fire roasted chopped tomatoes and I think it add a
zing to the soup. I will make this one of my favorites!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Cathy!! 🙂
Cassi Siferd says
Such an amazing soup and so easy to make! I’ve tried making tortellini soup before and it did not turn out this yummy! I will definitely be making this again!! I only had beef broth on hand but it still turned out great!! ☺️
Natasha says
That's awesome!! 🙂
Daniel Hardy says
Very good
Natasha says
Thank you!!!
Corina says
I made this soup today but I didn’t have sausage so I just used ground beef and taste so delicious I can’t imagine with sausage oh my🥰thank you so much for this ♥️
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Corina! 😀 Glad you enjoyed it with the ground beef.
Candice Williams says
This soup is everything!!! A coworker shared it with me and I’m glad she did!! I think next time I’ll only use 1 can of tomato’s.
I added just a little more cream and a little more garlic and seasoning.
It’s cold here in Northern California and with some French bread and Sunday football..,
Ohhh it’s on!!!!!’n
Natasha says
I'm so happy you liked it, Candice!! 🙂
Tess says
Wow! I followed the recipe exactly and it is delicious. My husband said it’s the best soup he has ever had. Thank you!
Natasha says
That's wonderful to hear, Tess! 😀
Carrie Mussato says
Can frozen tortellini be used instead?
Natasha says
Sure! It thaws super quick.
Courtney says
This soup is life changing. I followed the recipe to a 'T' and I am glad I did. It was perfectly rich and cheesy. I was tempted to top the bowls with cheese, but it was unnecessary. This is definitely making it into our regular rotation. Brava!!
Natasha says
Yay!! Thrilled you liked it so much, Courtney. Thanks for your review!
Kaitlyn says
Can you use beef broth as a substitute?
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
yes but the color of the soup will be darker.
Paula says
The flavor is yummy. I add zucchini, yellow squash and carrots to make it a little filling.
Thank you
Natasha says
Love those additions!!
Stephanie McLeish says
Followed the recipe to a T.. WAY too many tomatoes (I would use a 14.5 oz can- 28 oz can turned my soup pink!) and I didn’t like the sausage I got from Whole Foods (it was VERY lean and a little too sweet for my taste) but with a few tweaks I’d make this recipe again.
L says
Does Boursin replace the cream?
Natasha says
I am not sure what you're asking? There's no Boursin in this recipe?
Monique R Haiden says
Delicious soup, thanks for the inspiration! I always add a few more ingredients to make it my own. I added 4 oz of cream cheese to make it a little more cheesey, a frozen mirepoix mix (onions, carrots, celery) instead of fresh. I also used a 10 0z. bag of chopped frozen spinach, since I didn't have any fresh at the time. I steamed and drained the spinach, before adding it to the soup. I also added more tortellini, seasoning, and only one can of diced tomatoes. Top with cheese and enjoy, it's sooo very good!!! Just know this recipe is fabulous and very forgiving too, thanks Natasha.
Natasha says
Sounds good to me!!
Melissa says
I know I will have leftovers so what’s the best way for me to go about the tortellini, cream and spinach parts? I don’t want the tortellini taking on all the broth which has happened to me with other tortellini soup recipes
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
The cream is fine, but you could add the spinach and tortellini to individual portions when reheating. Enjoy! 🙂
Cindy says
Made this tonight. Forgot to add the spinach, but it didn't really need it. Added a parmesan rind while the mixture came to a boil and then let it simmer. Came out great! Will save this recipe and make again!
Susan says
I made this soup tonight along with homemade dinner rolls. Didn't have any celery or spinach but that didn't matter. I used a smaller can of diced tomatoes and less cream. Half the amount of tortellini too, I didn't want the tortellini to puff up in the left overs. My husband said the soup was heaven. Thanks for another great recipe.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Shana says
Yum! This is an excellent recipe. Quick and easy too! We will make again!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you liked it, Shana! Thanks for your review! 🙂
Nicki says
“She’s a soup genius!” A text from my best friend and I after I told her I made this tonight. I couldn’t agree more. This was a huge hit! It has tons of flavor and is super easy to make! I’m obsessed with every recipe I’ve made from this blog and they all become instant hits with my family! Thank you for making me look like a good cook!
Natasha says
Haha I love that!! 😀 You're very welcome, and thanks for your sweet comment, Nicki!
Mel says
Do you think you could substitute ravioli for tortellini?
Natasha says
Absolutely!
Kristin says
Can you use totem for some spice?
Natasha says
I have no idea what that is? You can definitely add a little spice to this recipe, though. 😀
Maxine says
Fantastic recipe! Added red pepper flakes at the end for a little kick. Absolutely delicious. Will definitely make again.
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Leslie says
Could I use chicken instead of Italian sausage? I have made it with sausage and it was delicious. But I’ve got chicken I need to cook 😆
Delicious recipe!!!
Natasha says
Sure!
Diane says
Delicious, will be following you for more great recipes. I used whole milk and it tasted great. I liked how quickly it came together. Thank you
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Diane!
Samantha says
This warm & creamy soup is an absolute hit for our whole family. This is our 2nd time making it and the kids, ages 3 & 5 devoured it. They had two large bowls each. We did however have to swap out the celery for diced carrots because our kids refuse to eat celery. The whole family enjoys this delicious soup. Thanks for this recipe. It’ll definitely be in rotation during the colder months here in Canada.
Natasha says
I'm so glad it was a hit!! 🙂
Cin says
Easy fast and yummy!!!
Natasha says
🙂
Stephanie says
I forgot to add the flour but it ended up being plenty thick without it. I used crushed tomatoes so I’m sure that helped! Served it with fresh grated Parmesan and oh, my goodness!! It was AMAZING!!!! I’ll definitely be making this again!!!!!
Natasha says
I'm so happy it was a hit!! 😀
Patricia Martinez says
This was a very good recipe. I will definitely make it again, Thank you
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Patricia!
Kristen Gasperich says
Absolutely delicious! My whole family enjoyed it. Can't wait to make it again.
Natasha says
I'm thrilled to hear it!! 🙂
T says
Awesome....easy...tasty
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
Nathalie Malouin says
You have some of the recipes out there. If you ever publish a cookbook, I’m buying a copy 😁😁😁. Thank you for sharing with us.
Natasha says
Awww thank you so much, Nathalie!! 🙂 I appreciate your support! XO
Melany says
I cannot find refrigerated tortellini. Can the dry be substituted?
Natasha says
Yes but I'd boil it first.
Sharon Cushman says
Made this for dinner tonight...it was delicious!..... I didn't have an onion, but it was still very tasty! I have been waiting for cooler weather here in the Pacific Northwest to make it...thought I d make it September, but it was too warm!....it will go on the menu for sure!
Natasha says
I'm glad you enjoyed it, Sharon!! 🙂
Lisa says
Easy to make. Healthy and delicious.
Natasha says
Thank you!