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.
I have literally never commented on a recipe in my life…..but man this one was good. The flavour of the broth was the perfect comfort on a snowy night.
One of my favourite soup recipes I’ve followed.
I’m so happy this got you to leave your first comment on a recipe Colin, such a compliment!🙌 Thanks so much!
Phenomenal! Have made this several times and it’s unbelievably good!!! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that you love this soup Maureen! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Second time making we absolutely love it we did half mild and half hot sausage and added fresh mushrooms and used spinach (Buddy does not like Kale) and when served topped with little feta cheese ABSOLUTELY our new favorite and go to!
I’m so happy that you loved it Tanieka! I love that you added mushrooms, sounds delicious!
My family enjoyed this dish very much. Easy to make, too.
I’m so happy that you and your family love this recipe Cindy!! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
Just love this soup!! I’m making for the third time tomorrow but with spinach this time as some ppl I’m serving to are not big fans of kale but it’s part of my favorites bar!!
Excellent Donna, I’m so happy to hear that you love it as much as we do! 🙂 Spinach is perfect in this!
We leave out the Kale and add extra of the spicy stuff, but we LOVE this soup!
I’m so happy to hear that you love it Holly!!! 🙂
Aaamazing!!!! Thank you for this delish recipe!
I’m so happy that you loved it Maryanne!! 🙂
Easy to make and tastes amazing! This will definitely be joining my list of favorite soup recipes. I topped it with some shredded parmesean cheese. Love it!
I’m so happy this will be joining your list of favorite soups Heather, wahooo! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
I just made this! 2-22-23. Only difference is I used chicken sausage & added fresh chopped parsley. It was excellent! Hubby is a former executive Chef & he loved it. Your choice of spices are spot on. I’ve never used ground mustard in a creamy soup before—but I made the plunge & it really added a lot of zip. Hubby said he had in his Chef days. 🤷🏻♀️ He never shared that with me before, go figure! (40 years married!) I also stewed the red pepper flakes same time as the kale, parsley & tortellini. It did not need a final Parmesan dusting but it’s a personal choice. Perfect as is! Thank you for sharing! ❤️
Omg such great compliments coming from you Chef husband!💖 This really makes my day Robin, thanks so much for sharing those great comments and for taking the time to leave a review! Hugs!
Delicious soup! I used turkey sausage and spinach and it turned out really really good! It also got better tasting two days later! Making it again this weekend!
Yayyy! I’m so happy you liked it so much Gail! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review💖