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Sausage And Tortellini Soup

Sausage and tortellini soup with a rich tomato-cream broth and cheese tortellini cooked until just tender. Italian sausage crumbles and baby spinach wilt into the simmering pot for a hearty, comforting main.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Casings removed
cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
baby spinach
  • 3 cups baby spinach
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
diced tomatoes
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
chicken broth
  • 4 cups chicken broth
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Parmesan
  • Parmesan for serving
fresh basil
  • fresh basil for serving
salt and pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build the base
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain fat. Keep it moving until crumbled and cooked through.
  2. In the same pot, sauté the onion for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Simmer and finish
  1. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce as needed to maintain a steady simmer.
  2. Add the tortellini and cook for 4-5 minutes until just tender. Stir occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and baby spinach, then cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Keep the soup hot but avoid a hard boil.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately with Parmesan and fresh basil. Top each bowl generously for the finishing texture.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, add the heavy cream after the tortellini is just tender so the broth stays silky and the pasta doesn’t overcook. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because tortellini can soften when thawed. Dairy swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream if you want a lighter broth.