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 or Frank’s Hot Sauce.
- This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 51!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for 3+ months.
- Note that the tortellini will continue to absorb broth during storage. I recommend boiling the tortellini separately and add it directly to serving bowls if you plan on having leftovers.
- 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.
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- 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.
- 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.
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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 tortellini, just under 10 oz. (refrigerated or frozen)
- 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 or Frank's Hot Sauce.
- 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 or freeze for 3+ months.
- Note that the tortellini will continue to absorb broth during storage. I recommend boiling the tortellini separately and add it directly to serving bowls if you plan on having leftovers.
- Be sure to try my chicken tortellini soup recipe next!
Nutritional information an estimate and is per serving. Each serving is 1 cup, and this recipe makes approximately 10 cups.
I just made this soup, my husband and my son LOVED it. It tastes restaurant quality, I will definitely make this next time I have company over. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Great to hear Rebecca! Sounds like you nailed it! Thanks so much for the great comments and review. I can’t wait for you to make it when you have company over!😍
AWESOME RECIPE!! 😋
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. Forgot to give it 5 stars this morning with my review. Since this was such a wonderful recipe, it was worth my time to say so and give it the 5 stars it so deserves!
Thanks so much Jody, you’re the best!❤️
I made this soup at the beginning of January for my husband and I and we absolutely loved it. We loved it so much, that I am going to make it again this week before the month is up!
I will say to those wanting to make this recipe, READ the instructions. Don’t do what I did and glossed over the instructions. The Note section under Storage that Stephanie adds is a must. I ended up adding an extra cup of tortellini, because that’s how much I love tortellini, and it sucked up a considerable amount of liquid and almost turned my soup to a casserole. I had to spoon them out of the pot and into a separate bowl to store in the refrigerator. I think it would have still done that had I not added another cup of tortellini to it. She mentions this, so be mindful.
Thank you so much Stephanie for your wonderful recipe that’s full of flavor and very filling!!
Thanks so much for the very helpful comments Jody! I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed it. Thanks for calling out the importance of the storage instructions!😃
This is a delicious soup! We’ve had it two nights in a row! Perfect for a cold Minnesota winter dinner!!
That’s so great to hear Jeanne! Definitely perfect for a Minnesota winter dinner, it’s got the extra cozy factor. Thanks so much for the great comments and review!😃
We love this recipe. Although we cut some potato and add it during the boil and simmer stage. It’s a hit every time
I’m so happy you’re enjoying this soup Corey! I make this one on repeat too 😋! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
Always said yuck to kale, even though we had never tried it. Both me and the kid really like this recipe. Will make again…Thank You.
I’m so happy to hear that Debra! My husband says he hates Kale but he loves this soup!😃 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I really enjoyed this soup. I used spinach because that’s what I had on hand but would love it even more with Kale! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup Shaunte! Spinach is a great sub for the Kale. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!😃
Just made your soup and it is perfect for this cold winter night we are having! I used spinach and hot sausage.
Thank you!
You’re very welcome Jill! Thanks so much for the great comments, I’m so happy you liked it!😍
Should kale be fine chopped or how to best incorporate?
Hi Lindsey, I give mine a rough chop. Whatever you prefer is fine!
This was an easy recipe and it came together very quickly. We loved it and this will be one of my go-to winter soups.
Great to hear Sonja! This is pretty much my go to soup this winter😋. Thanks so much for the great review!