Packed with savory sausage, cheesy tortellini, and spinach in a creamy tomato broth, this Italian sausage tortellini soup is the perfect one-pot meal for a cozy family dinner!
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Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Italian sausage tortellini soup is the creamier version of my sausage tortellini soup. Actually, it’s a really nice mashup of creamy tomato tortellini soup and Italian sausage soup with spinach and pasta.
It’s made with a creamy, savory, tomato-based broth with chunks of juicy sausage and tender cheese-filled tortellini. It doesn’t need to simmer for hours on the stove to build the flavors; this soup is ready to serve in just 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A 30-minute recipe. This Italian tortellini soup does not need to simmer for hours on the stove to build flavors.
- Versatile. Despite this short recipe, I share even more shortcuts. Or, you can make it in the slow cooker!
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground Italian sausage: I use mild Italian sausage, but you could also use hot if you prefer a spicier soup.
- Onion and carrots: Chop the onion and grate the carrots. Used as the base flavors of the soup.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- For the broth: Chicken broth, condensed tomato soup, and softened cream cheese.
- Tortellini and spinach: Frozen cheese tortellini can be tossed in without thawing first. Fresh baby spinach doesn’t need to be chopped.
How to Make Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Brown sausage in a large pot over medium heat. Break it apart as it cooks then drain any excess grease.
Add the onion, carrots, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth, tomato soup, and baby spinach. Bring that to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to low. Add in cubes of cream cheese, and stir until it has completely melted.
Add in the frozen tortellini. Let soup simmer for 5 minutes until the pasta is tender and heated.
Recipe Tips
- Because we’re building flavors right from the jump (we’ve only got 30 minutes!), it’s important to sauté the veggies and brown the meat first, before adding anything else.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese into the pot over low heat. This is to prevent the dairy from curdling and becoming gritty.
- Tortellini can be tossed in frozen, but avoid overcooking it.
- If preparing this Italian sausage and tortellini soup ahead of time, cook the pasta separately and add it once you reheat the soup.
More recipes with tortellini include chicken tortellini Alfredo and this easy Italian tortellini pasta salad!
More Soup Recipes
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 64 ounces chicken broth
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 10 ounce can condensed tomato soup
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened and cubed
- 20 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
- Salt & pepper , to taste
For serving: Parmesan and fresh basil
Instructions
- Brown sausage: In a large pot over medium heat, add 1 pound Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Add in 1/2 cup onion, 1 cup grated carrots, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Cook another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broth, tomato soup and baby spinach. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, add the cubed cream cheese. Let sit a minute, then stir until completely melted and the broth turns creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Increase heat back to medium, stir in the frozen tortellini, and simmer 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and ladle into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Substitutions and Variations
- Save even more time by buying a pre-chopped mirepoix, which also includes celery.
- Instead of chicken broth, use 6 teaspoons of Better than Chicken Bouillon and 6 cups of water.
- Add more veggies like zucchini or mushrooms.
- For a spicier soup, you could use spicy Italian sausage or add some red pepper flakes.
- Italian pork sausage is what I love to use but you could also try using ground beef, chicken, or turkey instead.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Add the cooked sausage and sautéed onion, and carrots to the crockpot along with all other ingredients except the tortellini. Slow cook for 4-5 hours and add the pasta for an additional 20-30 minutes, on high, at the end.
Leftover sausage tortellini soup should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Using a glass container for tomato-based soups can help prevent staining any plastic Tupperware.
I don’t recommend freezing soups with pasta or dairy, and this one has both. However, to plan ahead, leave out the pasta and keep in mind that the cream cheese may alter the consistency of the soup when reheated.
Reheat leftovers on the stove over medium-low heat. You may want to add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up, as it will have thickened by now.
Alisha
This recipe will definitely be in our rotation of go to soups for soup Sundays throughout the Fall and Winter months! -Alisha, recipe tester
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
It’s so cozy! So happy to hear the Italian sausage tortellini soup made the fall Sunday soup list!