Creamy tortellini soup is a perfect way to warm up on a cold winter’s day! Full of sausage, veggies, and a creamy sauce, this tortellini soup is one of my favorite tortellini recipes. No fancy prep or ingredients are required.
Like all good pasta recipes, this creamy tortellini soup fills you up and makes you feel like you’ve visited Grandma’s house! Get ready to fill your house with the heavenly aroma of Italian home cooking.
Let’s head to the kitchen!
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What I Love About Creamy Tortellini Soup Recipe
This creamy tortellini soup recipe has lots of great things going for it! Here is my shortlist!
- Simple, straightforward prep
- Loads of classic Italian flavors
- Filling enough for a meal
- Uses common pantry ingredients
Recipe Notes
There’s nothing tricky about making this easy sausage tortellini soup, but here are a few extra tips to make it even easier!
Italian Sausage: You can use hot or sweet sausage according to your tastes. I prefer using bulk Italian sausage. You can use sausage links. Just remove their casings before browning them.
Sautéing the veggies: To add extra flavor, I like to use the sausage drippings left after browning the meat to sauté the veggies. If you want to cut back on the fat content in the recipe, you can use a drizzle of olive oil instead.
Julienne: Julienne is just a fancy way to say cut in thin strips. It really adds to the presentation of the soup, but don’t stress over it and watch your fingers!
Ingredient Notes
Fresh spinach: I prefer fresh over frozen. Cook it just long enough for it to wilt. If all you have is frozen spinach, let it thaw completely and squeeze the extra water from it. Stir it in just before serving.
Fresh pasta: You can find this in the cooler section of most grocery stores. I prefer cheese tortellini, but you can experiment with different types. You could also try ravioli!
Dried pasta won’t yield the same result in this soup since fresh pasta doesn’t soak up so much liquid.
Heavy Cream: I love how heavy cream rounds out this soup. However, you can also use milk or ½ and ½ if you prefer. You can even omit it altogether, but I think it’s so much better with the cream base!
Storing Tips
Allow this creamy tortellini soup to cool before storing it. I prefer to use glass to store the soup due to the acidity of the tomatoes. When you reheat, you can add a bit of milk, beef broth, or water if the soup is very thick.
Can You Freeze This?
I wouldn’t suggest freezing this creamy tortellini soup recipe. The fresh pasta won’t hold well after it has been cooked, frozen, and reheated. The heavy cream may also split when you freeze it.
Make Ahead Tips
The best way to get a jump start with this recipe is to brown the Italian sausage and cut the veggies beforehand. When you’re ready to cook, saute the veggies and go from there!
How Long Can You Keep This?
This will hold in the fridge 3-4 days according to FDA guidelines, though the pasta will get increasingly softer the longer it sits.
Recipe Variations
Like all good pasta recipes, you can put your own spin on this creamy tortellini soup recipe. Here are a few ideas!
Can I Add Chicken?
Chicken and tortellini make a fantastic chicken tortellini soup. You could simply add chicken to this soup to make creamy chicken tortellini soup. You could even add double chicken by adding shredded chicken and chicken tortellini!
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup onion, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 cups carrots, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 (10-ounces) container fresh cheese tortellini
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh julienned basil
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute Italian sausage, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until sausage is no longer pink. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of pan drippings (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil).
- Reduce the heat to medium and add onion, garlic, carrots, salt, and black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 6-7 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and rosemary and continue to cook until herbs are fragrant about 1 minute.
- Stir in beef broth, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, and Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage back to the pot. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat immediately and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Add tortellini and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in cream and heat through. Stir in spinach and basil, adjust seasoning and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
More Tortellini Recipes…
I can’t get enough of these little pillows of pasta that are packed with flavor. Here are some other great tortellini recipes!
Conclusion
Hearty enough for a meal, this creamy tortellini soup recipe if a frequent request in my house. It’s full of flavor and makes my kitchen smell like heaven! I know you’re going to love it! I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
Be sure to leave me a comment below.
Gonna make this soon because it sounds amazing. One question, could I use Orzo pasta. Ould it just be thrown into the soup at the same time>
Thanks, Jan
Hi, Janet! I haven’t used orzo for this recipe yet but I think you can definitely give it a try. Let us know how it turns out for you! 😀
Can this be made as a vegetarian soup without the sausage?
Hi Roberta! Yes, you can omit the sausage to make it vegan-friendly. Happy cooking!