Creamy Tortellini Soup is pure heavenly comfort. It features Italian sausage, vegetables, tomatoes, and cheese tortellini in a creamy tomato base, seasoned with Italian herbs and fresh Parmesan Cheese.
What’s In This Post
The Best Creamy Tortellini Soup
This is, without a doubt, one of our favorite soups and go-to recipes when comfort food is desired. Sometimes, we forgo the sausage and make it a vegetarian meal. Or we trade it out for some shredded chicken or slices of smoked sausage, like Polska Kielbasa or smoked chicken sausage. Enjoy this tasty soup with cheese garlic bread, sweet potato cornbread, or a simple garden salad.
Ingredients Needed
- Italian sausage: ground, sweet or mild
- Vegetables: onion, carrots, garlic, fire-roasted canned tomatoes, baby spinach
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, fresh parsley or basil
- Flour: all-purpose
- Vegetable broth: or low-sodium chicken broth
- Tomato paste
- Cheese tortellini: refrigerated or frozen
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated
How to Make Creamy Tortellini Soup
Start by browning the Italian Sausage over medium heat in a large Dutch Oven or pot. After about 3 minutes, add the onions, celery, and carrots and continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions and celery are tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of excess grease. Sprinkle in the flour and continue cooking for 2 minutes while stirring.
Stir in the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook until the carrots are fork-tender. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cheese tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes for fresh tortellini, 3-5 minutes for frozen tortellini, or 10-11 minutes for dried tortellini. Add the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach wilts and tortellini are tender. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork for the Italian sausage. Try bite-size pieces of Polska Kielbasa, smoked chicken sausage, or shredded or diced rotisserie chicken.
- Use refrigerated, frozen, or dried tortellini. The simmering time will vary depending on which ones you use. Simmer for 2-3 minutes for fresh tortellini, 3-5 minutes for frozen tortellini, or 10-11 minutes for dried tortellini. Do not overcook the tortellini.
- I like to use baby spinach, but kale and arugula also work well. Kale will take closer to 5 minutes to wilt and almost 15 minutes to really soften. In contrast, the arugula will wilt in less than 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream slowly.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced heat.
If you know before you make this soup that you will be saving a portion for leftovers, remove that portion before adding the tortellini and spinach. When reheating, add the tortellini and spinach as directed in the recipe.
More Soup Recipes
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage sweet or mild
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth low sodium
- 1 (14.5 ounce can) fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 9 ounces refrigerated three cheese tortellini see notes
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- freshly grated Parmesan Cheese garnish
- chopped fresh parsley or basil garnish
Instructions
- Brown the Italian Sausage over medium heat in a large Dutch Oven or pot. After about 3 minutes, add the onions, celery, and carrots and continue cooking until the sausage is browned and the onions and celery are tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of excess grease. Sprinkle in the flour and continue cooking for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook until the carrots are fork tender.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cheese tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes for fresh tortellini, 3-5 minutes for frozen tortellini, or 10-11 minutes for dried tortellini. Add the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach wilts and tortellini are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
- Substitute ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork for the Italian sausage. Try bite-size pieces of Polska Kielbasa, smoked chicken sausage, or shredded or diced rotisserie chicken.
- Use refrigerated, frozen, or dried tortellini. The simmering time will vary depending on which ones you use. Cook for 2-3 minutes for fresh tortellini, 3-5 minutes for frozen tortellini, or 10-11 minutes for dried tortellini. Do not overcook the tortellini.
- I like to use baby spinach, but kale and arugula also work well. Kale will take closer to 5 minutes to wilt and almost 15 minutes to really soften. In contrast, the argula will wilt in less than 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream slowly.
Nutrition
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Charah
I love this recipe, easy to make and delicious. Thanks for sharing, I’m making this for my fam
Lauren Kendall
Hi Beth,
This recipe is delicious and a perfect winter food! I see there are six servings in the recipe. What did you count as a serving?
Thank you!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lauren! This recipe makes 6 bowls.
Khush
This was perfect. It is so darn cold here and this really hit the spot with great flavor. Thanks for the great recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome!
Candie
I made this awesome soup! So much flavor and so easy to make. I love soups with tortellini in them!
Beth Pierce
Me too!
Sandra
I love how comforting this is! Such an amazing meal!
Julia
This soup was really filling and your recipe was so easy to follow! Thank you so much for sharing such a warming meal.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Julia! So glad that you liked it!
Lavanda
Now this was absolutely delicious and easy to make. You can never have too many great soup recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Sue Snow
I live alone and love to freeze leftover soups. How can I adjust this recipe so I can freeze some of it ? It looks delicious!
Beth Pierce
If you know before you make this soup, you will be freezing a portion of it, then remove that portion before adding the tortellini and spinach. When reheating, add the tortellini and spinach as directed in the recipe.
Kira
Delicious soup recipe! We loved it. Tortellini is so yummy in soup. especially with Italian sausage.
Tammy
Thanks for the tasty recipe, Beth! I tried it this past weekend and it was outstanding. So creamy and filling. I served it with some soft rolls and sweet cream butter. So delicious!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Tammy!
Ree
Great soup recipe. The flavors blend so well toegther. It is hard to resist anything with Italian sausage, tortellini, and spinach. Here’s to a job well done.
Yolanda
This is such a delicious soup with the tortellini. I will be making it with the smoked sausage next time as this would be really good also! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Yolanda!
Erin
Comforting and incredibly delicious! Thanks for the great recipe.
Catalina
This tortellini soup recipe has become a staple in our house! The rich broth with those perfectly cooked tortellini—every spoonful feels like a warm hug!
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more! Hugs my friend!
Steph
I enjoy serving homemade soups in during the colder months – so warm and comforting. I will certainly make this tortellini soup again. It’s delicious, simple to make and fills everyone up at the dinner table. We even enjoyed it reheated the next day.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Steph! So glad that you liked the soup!
Allyson
I left the meat out of this recipe and it was still delicious! Perfect for these colder days!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Allyson! So glad that you liked the soup!