This creamy sausage tortellini soup is a 30 minute meal that’s easy to make with sausage, kale, simple seasonings, broth, and cream!
Be sure to serve this with a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese or Biscuits!
Sausage Tortellini Soup
Wait until you taste this soup. This is one you will undoubtedly add to your favorite list of soup recipes, especially because it’s a 30-minute meal that’s got vegetables, protein, and pasta all in one bowl!
You may scratch your head when you see that I’ve got hot sauce and mustard powder on the ingredients list, but trust me. They enhance the other flavors in the recipe and add a very subtle touch that creates a great base for this soup. Once you try it, you’ll see what I mean!
Check out my PRO tips below on how to add even more flavor to this soup, and what you can use if you don’t have kale on hand!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook the sausage, onions, and garlic. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add basil, oregano, hot sauce, mustard powder, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
Add kale and tortellini. Cook 3-5 minutes. Taste and add salt if desired. Transfer to serving bowls and add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Pro Tips
- For even more flavor, add the rind from a block of Parmesan or Romano cheese when you add the broth and let it simmer and flavor the soup. If any remains at the end of cooking, it can be discarded. Salt will likely not need to be added if you do this.
- 2-3 cups of Spinach can be used instead of kale, stir it in once the tortellini is cooked and let it wilt, about 30 seconds. If you use frozen spinach, let it thaw and pat it dry prior to adding it.
- I use RANA refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini for this recipe. I also use Texas Pete hot sauce for this recipe, Frank’s Hot Sauce is great too!
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 51!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Note that the tortellini will continue to absorb broth during storage. You may choose to boil tortellini separately and add them directly to serving bowls.
- This soup does freeze well but I recommend boiling tortellini separately so that it doesn’t absorb too much broth or get overly soft.
- Be sure to try my chicken tortellini soup recipe next!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 4 quart Soup Pot: The perfect size for this recipe.
- Food Storage Containers– These are what I use, they fit exactly 1 cup and are leak proof, microwave safe, stackable, and BPA free.
- Kitchen Scale: In case you need to weigh the sausage. (I use this all the time.)
- Measuring Spoons– To measure out the seasonings.
- Pinch Bowls– I measure out my seasonings ahead of time and add them to these small bowls so they’re ready to go when it’s time to add them.
Try These Next
- Clam Chowder
- Meatball Soup
- Creamy Chicken Soup
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Lentil Sausage Soup
- Beer Cheese Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
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Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne, optional
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 2 cups refrigerated tortellini, just under 10 oz.
- Salt/ to taste
Instructions
- Note: The mustard powder and hot sauce are so subtle in this soup but help enhance the other flavors, so although you may be hesitant to add them, I highly recommend it!
- Remove the casings from the sausage if you purchased links. Cook and crumble the sausage and diced onions over medium-high heat until the onions are softened and the sausage is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Drain grease. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add basil, oregano, cayenne, hot sauce, mustard powder, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot. Slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
- Add the kale and tortellini and simmer for 3-5 minutes. (If your tortellini needs longer cooking time, add the tortellini first, then the kale during the last 5 minutes.)
- Taste the soup and add salt if desired. Start with ¼ tsp and add more after that if needed.
- Transfer to serving bowls and serve! (This is great with Garlic Bread with Cheese!)
Notes
- I use RANA refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini for this recipe. I also use Texas Pete hot sauce for this recipe, Frank's Hot Sauce is great too!
- For even more flavor, add the rind from a block of Parmesan or Romano cheese when you add the broth and let it simmer and flavor the soup. If any remains at the end of cooking, it can be discarded. Salt will likely not need to be added if you do this.
- 2-3 cups of Spinach can be used instead of kale, stir it in once the tortellini is cooked and let it wilt, about 30 seconds.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 51!
Crock Pot Method:
- Brown the sausage/onions on the stove top and add the flour as outlined in steps 2 + 3.
- Transfer everything except for the cream, tortellini, and spinach to the slow cooker.
- Cook it on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-7.
- Stir in the kale toward the end and let that heat up for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn heat off. Temper the cream in the microwave for 45 seconds and stir it in slowly>
- Add cooked tortellini to serving bowls and ladle soup on top!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Note that the tortellini will continue to absorb broth during storage. You may choose to boil tortellini separately and add them directly to serving bowls.
- This soup does freeze well but I recommend boiling tortellini separately so that it doesn't absorb too much broth or get overly soft.
Nutritional information an estimate and is per serving. Each serving is 1 cup, and this recipe makes approximately 10 cups.
I made this tonight and it was so yummy. I used chicken sausage and since I only had half & half I used that. I will make it again 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Sandra! Thanks so much for the great comments and review💖
Very similar to Olive Garden’s Zuppa Tuscana soup, which has always been a fan, favorite for my family. That said, this recipe has far surpassed our expectations, and risen to #1 in the opinion of my family! The only changes I made were to double it for my family of six. Definitely a delicious keeper!
I’m so happy this rose to #1 in your house Tiffany, wahooo! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💗
Can the cream be left out of this recipe?
Yes, you can leave it out if needed 🙂
This is so delicious!! I added the cheese rind as suggested as I save them in my freezer for soup and sauces. I would not have thought to use it in this recipe though. Thank you!
The 2nd time I made this I used Jimmy Dean precooked sausage crumbles. (due to our New Years resolution to get healthier 😉) It was a great substitute and we still loved this soup just as much! So if you’re trying to cut down on fat give it a try!! Even if your not, it’s a great substitute!
I’m so happy you added the cheese rind, nice work Patty! We actually have the same precooked sausage in our house, it’s really yummy. Thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!💖
I meant to say, Jimmy Dean precooked TURKEY sausage crumbles. 😊
I’m not a big fan of sausage so I don’t make it. Complaints from my family led me to make this recipe. They loved it and I liked it! Win win!!!
I’m so happy your family got you to cave in and make this one Sheryl! Sounds like a huge success, nice work! Thanks so much for the great review💖
Love this. Instead of kale or spinach, I used baby broccoli. It’s delicious.
Yummm! I’ve never tried it with broccoli, now I’m intrigued. Thanks so much for the great review Mariann!😃
How much broccoli did you use? Fresh or frozen?
Delicious soup! Even though I really liked the broth for this soup I don’t like fennel in Italian sausage. Is it possible to spice up ground beef for this?
Hi Erin! There are many varieties of sausage that don’t have fennel, Italian Sausage usually does, I love using Jimmy Dean’s Regular Sausage. Breakfast sausage would work too! I would recommend this over flavoring ground beef, but you can try that as well.
Super easy and very good – husband approved – by a husband that doesn’t really like soup! Will definitely make this again and share! Thinking I might try and substitute the tortellini with potatoes to make an Italian sausage potato soup 😉
Thank you for this tasty recipe!
I like the way you think Tammy! I’m so happy your husband enjoyed it too, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💖