Ready in 30 minutes, this creamy sausage tortellini soup is a hearty and healthy one-pot meal the whole family will love. It’s the perfect dish for lunch or dinner on a cold day.
When the weather cools down, I’m constantly looking for comforting yet easy meal ideas to warm up, and this creamy sausage tortellini soup recipe is exactly that. It’s made in one pot, ready in 30 minutes, and perfectly balances savory, spicy, and rich flavors in a single bowl.
While the idea of putting tortellini in a soup might sound strange to some, it works incredibly well. The combination of hot Italian sausage, pillowy cheese tortellini, and creamy tomato broth creates a family-friendly meal with appealing textures and flavors everyone can enjoy. Trust me, if you like tortellini, you’re going to love this recipe.
Why You’ll Love It
- Made in One Pot – This creamy sausage tortellini soup is a one-pot meal that keeps prep time and cleanup to a minimum.
- Quick and Easy – It’s ready in 30 minutes, making it perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
- High in Protein – The combination of Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and parmesan ensures this soup contains over 20 grams of protein per serving.
- Keeps Well – This tortellini soup keeps well in the fridge and freezer, making it a great meal prep idea.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Sausage – To add some protein to the soup. I used hot Italian sausage to add some heat, but mild Italian sausage will also work well. You can also use beef, turkey, or chicken sausages if preferred.
- Cheese Tortellini – To add some complex carbohydrate and a bit more protein. The recipe calls for cheese tortellini, but you can use any type of tortellini pasta you like. I used dried tortellini, but you can use frozen or fresh tortellini if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Onion + Garlic – To flavor the soup. The recipe calls for a whole onion and garlic cloves, but you can use onion powder and garlic powder if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Carrot + Celery – To add some veggies and color.
- Italian Seasoning – To flavor and season the soup. The recipe calls for an Italian herb blend, but you can use a combination of dried oregano, thyme, and basil if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Tomatoes – To thicken the sauce and add some additional flavor. The recipe calls for crushed tomatoes, but diced tomatoes will also work.
- Flour – To thicken the soup. The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but you can use any white wheat flour or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour if needed.
- Broth – The recipe calls for vegetable broth, but chicken broth will also work well.
- Heavy Cream – To add some fat and make the soup rich and creamy.
- Parmesan – A combination of parmesan rind and freshly grated parmesan cheese to add more protein and fat to the soup, as well as make it extra creamy.
- Kale – To add some veggies, micronutrients, and fiber. I used curly kale, but lacinato kale would also work well, but you can use Swiss chard or frozen or fresh baby spinach if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats.
- Salt and Pepper – To season.
- Fresh Parsley – To serve, although optional. Fresh basil would also work well.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free tortellini, 1-to-1 gluten-free flour, and certified gluten-free broth.
To Make it Dairy-Free: Swap the heavy cream for equal parts canned coconut milk or 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
While pasta, particularly stuffed pastas like tortellini, is thought of as an “unhealthy” choice, it’s actually a minimally processed food that can easily be included in a healthy and balanced diet. Both regular vs whole wheat pasta are good sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber, and stuffed pastas such as cheese tortellini can be a great source of vegetarian protein when filled with high-protein cheeses.
To ensure you’re buying healthy pasta, be sure to read the label and look for options made of flour, water, salt, and/or eggs with minimal added ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
This sausage and cheese tortellini soup is a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat; however, it can easily be adapted to suit your personal calorie or macro needs. For example:
- To make it lower in fat, swap the Italian sausage for equal parts turkey sausage, and/or swap the heavy cream for half-and-half.
- To make it higher in carbohydrates, serve the soup with a side of crusty bread.
- To make it higher in fiber, add another cup of kale or a cup of high-fiber vegetables such as broccoli or green peas.
- To make it lower in sodium, use low-sodium chicken broth.
Can you make it in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this sausage tortellini soup in a slow cooker. Simply brown the sausage in a pan or cast-iron skillet, then transfer it to a slow cooker along with all of the ingredients, except for the tortellini, heavy cream, kale, and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Once cooked, add the tortellini, heavy cream, kale, and grated Parmesan cheese, stir to combine with the soup mixture, then cook on high for a final 30 minutes until the tortellini is al dente. Remove the Parmesan rind before serving.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow the soup to cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Transfer the cooled tortellini soup to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge and then place the soup in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the soup in the microwave, place thawed soup in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed.
More One-Pot Meals:
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Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
This creamy sausage tortellini soup is a well-balanced meal that is high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Serve it with a side of crusty bread for a simple yet delicious meal.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 20 minutes
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Total Time: 30 minutes
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Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Category: Dinner
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Method: Stovetop
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausages, casing removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 3 cups (10 ounces) cheese tortellini
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup kale, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, then add the sausage meat (casings removed) to the pot, and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Once cooked, using the wooden spoon or slotted spoon, remove the browned sausage meat from the pot, transfer it to a plate, and set it aside.
- In the same pot, reduce the temperature to medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender.
- Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and flour, stir to combine with the onions and carrots, and cook for an additional minute until fragrant and the flour is lightly browned.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth and water, stirring constantly to combine with the onion and flour mixture.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, return the cooked sausage to the pot, and stir again until well combined.
- Increase the temperature to high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then add the tortellini and Parmesan rind (optional) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes (or as per tortellini package cooking instructions) until the tortellini is al dente.
- Once the tortellini is cooked, add the heavy cream, chopped kale, and freshly grated parmesan cheese, stir to combine, and cook for a final 5 minutes until the kale is wilted.
- Once cooked, remove the Parmesan rind, then taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- The sausage tortellini soup can be served immediately or cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder and add it in step #4.
To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the onion for 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in step #4.
To Use Dried Herbs: Swap the Italian seasoning for 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon dried basil in step #4.
To Use Frozen Tortellini: Use equal parts of dried or frozen tortellini and adjust cooking time in step #7 as per package directions.
To Use Spinach: To use fresh spinach, swap the kale for 1 cup of roughly chopped spinach. To use frozen spinach, thaw 1 ounce (1/4 cup) of frozen spinach, press firmly to remove excess water, and add it in step #8.
To Use Swiss Chard: Swap the kale for 1 cup of roughly chopped Swiss chard in step #8.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 525 calories
- Sugar: 6 grams
- Fat: 34 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 21 grams
Your thoughts about substituting the heavy cream with coconut cream or whole coconut milk?
Yes, you can use coconut milk instead. It’s noted as a substitution on the page. 🙂
My son doesn’t like soup, so I left out the most of the water and broth. Used microgreens instead of spinach (added it when serving). EXCELLENT!!
Wow, so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing!
I liked the flavours and it was easy to make.
Flavorful and fulfilling – great lunch leftover
Thanks, Bob!
This recipe is incredibly tasty and so filling
I also like how you can use substitutes to make it suit the family and it freezes well
Thank you for sharing, Lydia!
My whole family loved this hearty soup. It was delicious and the perfect meal for a cold winter day. I can’t wait to make it again!
Love when a recipe is family approved. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Maria!
This is an amazing recipe! Full of flavor and nutrition, and very hearty. The only thing I changed was to use microgreens instead of Kale- I chopped up the microgreens and added them after taking off the heat. I have this saved!
Love the swaps, thanks for sharing, Margo!
Absolutely delicious, filling and easy. The Parmesan rind adds so much extra flavor. I sub cream for evaporated milk and it’s just fine.
Thanks, Dwain!
This soup was amazingly delicious! It was simple to make and a big hit with the entire family! The only thing I changed was instead of kale, I used spinach, probably three times the amount the recipe calls for. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
So happy you liked it, Annette! My pleasure and thank you for sharing. 🙂