This delicious sausage tortellini soup recipe combines Italian sausage, tomatoes, fresh cheese tortellini, arugula, and a perfect blend of herbs and spices. Fall is here, and with it comes all kinds of incredibly delicious soups.
I love to serve this family favorite with a garden salad tossed with a light vinaigrette and French baguettes with soft, creamy butter. This soup, Cabbage Roll Soup, Meatball Soup, Chicken and Rice Soup, and Vegetable Beef Soup are just a few of our many favorites.
Try this simple recipe for a satisfying and flavorful tortellini soup that will warm you up on a cold day. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, it’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights.
If your family is anything like mine, soup is the main meal category for most of fall and winter. It is my favorite time of the year, and soup warms our minds, bodies, and souls. Of course, we eat soup year-round.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Italian Sausage: I prefer sweet or mild. Try to purchase good quality Italian sausage from a local meat market. If it is only available in links, cut the casings off. Try chicken, ground beef, or pork sausage for Italian sausage substitutes.
- Vegetables: onion, garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, arugula or spinach
- Seasonings: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, fresh basil. You can substitute a tablespoon of Italian seasoning for the dried herbs.
- Broth: low-sodium beef broth, vegetable broth, or low-sodium chicken broth
- Tomato paste: to give the soup flavor and thicken it
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini: can substitute frozen or dried
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated is best
How To Make Sausage Tortellini Soup
This is just the summary version of the recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredients and full directions.
Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. When it is halfway through the browning process, add the onion and cook until the sausage is brown and the onion is soft.
Then, reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and crushed red pepper, cooking for a minute. Whisk the tomato paste with a bit of beef broth to thin it out. Then add the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and thinned-out tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium and bring it to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the cheese tortellini and let everything simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tortellini cooks to your desired tenderness. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir it in the arugula. Salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle each bowl with a bit of Parmesan cheese.
Preparation Tips
- You can substitute fresh baby spinach for arugula without changing the recipe. Remember to remove the large stems.
- Most grocery stores carry refrigerated pasta, although you may have to ask where it is in the store. You can always substitute frozen cheese tortellini or even dried tortellini.
- Dried herbs work best in soup, where their flavors have time to permeate the whole pot. I like to add them to the fat from the Italian sausage and cook for about a minute. This technique is known as blooming.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: crusty French or Italian bread, cheese garlic bread, breadsticks, focaccia bread, or cornbread muffins.
- Salad: spinach salad, garden salad, or Italian salad
- Dessert: peach crisp, key lime pie, or banana cream pie.
How to Cook it in a Crock Pot
Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. When it is halfway through the browning process, add the onion and cook until the sausage is brown and the onion is soft.
Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Transfer to a crockpot.
In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste with about 1/2 cup of beef broth. Add it to the crock pot with the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Cook on low for about 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
Increase temperature to high. Add the tortellini, cooking for about 30 minutes or until tender. Add the arugula and cook for about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be careful not to overcook the pasta when reheating so it does not have a soggy texture. Reheat on low on the stovetop or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Soup Recipes
Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground Italian Sausage
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 pinches red pepper flakes
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth
- 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 3 cups arugula or spinach
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Fresh thyme optional
- Fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium heat. When it is about halfway browned, add the onion and cook until the sausage is done browning and the onion has softened.
- Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste with about 1/2 cup of beef broth. Add the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and thinned-out tomato paste. Increase the heat to medium and bring it to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Add the cheese tortellini and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tortellini are cooked to your desired tenderness.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the arugula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle each bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, garnish with fresh thyme or fresh basil.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh baby spinach for arugula without changing the recipe. Remember to remove the large stems.
- Most grocery stores carry refrigerated pasta, although you may have to ask where it is in the store. You can always substitute frozen cheese tortellini or even dried tortellini.
- Dried herbs work best in soup, where their flavors have time to permeate the whole pot. I like to add them to the fat from the Italian sausage and cook for about a minute. This technique is known as blooming.
Nutrition
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LisaLisa
OMG, just pass me a bowl right now this looks so delicious. I’m going to make this recipe over the weekend and I’m bookmarking it. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure!
Yara
This is such an amazingly tasty and hearty soup. Great flavours, I love all of the additions especially the Italian sausage which is so good with the tortellini.
April Fox
I could literally eat this every day, it’s sooooo tasty!
Ella English
What an amazing combination of flavors. This was a hit with the family. They love tortellinis.
Janelle
I love tortellini and I’ve never had it in a soup before. This was super tasty!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janelle! So happy that you liked it!
Claudette
This is such a delicious recipe. i love the stuffed tortellini with the other ingredients. This is one of my favorite Italian recipes, and your version is very tasty.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Claudette! I am so glad that you like the soup
Allyson Z
The soup has an amazing flavor, and I love how easy it is to make! I’m definitely keeping this one in rotation!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Allyson!
Sandra H
This is my kind of comfort food especially on chilly nights! My family loves this tortellini soup too!
Eryn
This soup was so addictive! My family loved it and was already asking for seconds! I’ll definitely doubling the recipe next time!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Eryn! So glad that you liked them!
Krystle Smith
The Italian sausage adds such a rich flavor, and those cheese tortellini are little pockets of joy. Love how the arugula gives it a fresh kick.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Krystle! So glad that you liked it!
Milton Recovery
We love this recipe. It is very important to have hearty and nutritious meals for your mental well-being and recovery.
Beth Pierce
I agree, Milton!
Anne Lee Murphy
Love this soup. Have you tried to freeze it. I thought I would leave out the tortellini freeze it and add it it when I am ready to eat it.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Anne Lee! That is a great plan. It works well!
Sue s
Has anyone tried this with ravioli instead of tortellini
JRC
I would love to try this on a late November Day with hot Italian Sausage. Yum!
Michelle H
I’m always on the lookout for hearty and flavorful meals that my family loves, this one was perfect. Can’t wait to make it again and invite my parents over to see how well I can cook.
Beth Pierce
I am sure they will love it.
Candie G
I have a ton of mini tortellini in my freezer. I need to make this amazing soup. What a beautiful recipe indeed!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Candie! Enjoy!