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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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.
Just made this soup.
I don’t care for Italian sausage, used JD breakfast sausage. I also substitute the kale and used baby spinach.
Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much for the comments and for taking the time to leave a review Jackie! I love JD breakfast sausage!💕
I’m not a Kale fan but I took a chance on this recipe. This soup is AMAZING!!!! It went from unknown to our favorite after one batch. I have shared it with so many. Thank you for the great meal!
You’re very welcome Stephanie! Thanks so much for sharing this soup recipe, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it so much. It’s one of my favorite soups!💕
Made it just like recipe and was AWESOME with no leftovers very easy to make . This was first time I made it and it was requested to make tomorrow also!
I am so happy to hear that Tammy! No leftovers, that’s good! (And bad! ha!!) Thank you so much for the wonderful review! 🙂 -Stephanie
This soup was absolutely amazing. My hubby and two grown boys loved it. They have asked me to put it in my menu rotation. The flavor was phenomenal. I followed the recipe with spinach instead of kale.
That’s so great to hear Wendy! Sounds like you’ll be making this one again, thanks so much for the great comments and review!😃
Sooo good! Easy delicious recipe. Substituted 1/2 & 1/2 and Baby Spinach because it’s what I had.
Thank you for a great recipe ❤️
I am so happy that you enjoyed it Amanda, and that you made it work based on what you had, nicely done! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
This soup is wonderful! The only changes I made were to use 1/2&1/2 instead of the heavy cream and added fresh spinach instead of the kale! So easy to make and quick also. Definitely a keeper!
I am so happy that you loved the soup Lisa, and I love that you used spinach, yum!!! Thank you so much for letting me know how it came out! 🙂 -Stephanie
I added some medditeran season, more hot sause a few slices of gouda and more garlic fresh. And 1less broth. Love it
This was a perfect explosion of flavor and texture. My husband is a meat man and I added another 1/2 of Italian sausage and it was a total hit for him. Great recipe!
Sounds like my husband! I’m so happy this was success Angie, thanks so much for the great review!💗
This soup is just delicious! I don’t care for kale so I used chopped, fresh spinach, an equitable substitution… I also cooked parm cheese mini ravioli separately to preserve the broth and added them to the soup with the spinach.
I wasn’t sure how much the heat ingredients would come into play so I didn’t add the red pepper flakes to the soup but placed them on the table. Excellent soup with a flavorful kick!
Hint: This soup is even better on day 2!
I’m so happy to hear such great comments Lie! I have to agree, this soup is amazing on day 2. I also make it with spinach if I know my husband is going to eat it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💗
My husband and I both really loved this soup! My daughter was bummed she didn’t get to have it fresh but will have it in her thermos for school tomorrow.
We used some Italian sausage from the freezer we had previously already cooked. Also used frozen (fresh) spinach. I added a bit more broth because I was afraid the (chicken prosciutto) tortellini would soak it up too much [we halved the recipe but didn’t halve the small pkg] It all was perfect. So flavorful and hardy for this cold, grey Autumn day. Thanks so much!!
You’re very welcome! I’m so happy your daughter gets to have a yummy, warm lunch. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️
I made this tonight and it was good! I accidentally bought cheese and spinach ravioli instead of tortellini but it was still delicious. The hot sauce and mustard powder added so much flavor. Definitely don’t skip that. I also added a small piece of parmesan rind. Fantastic idea and I didn’t need to add more salt. Thanks for a great recipe!
I love that you appreciate the hot sauce and mustard powder Steph! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!💗