Sausage Tortellini Soup
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!
- For a similar recipe with a twist, try my Sausage Gnocchi Soup!
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?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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!
- For a similar recipe with a twist, try my Sausage Gnocchi Soup!
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 love this recipe, and I make quite often. It is sooo amazing and comforting. I always follow the recipe to a tee because it is perfect as is.
But tonight, I mixed it up just slightly. Instead of 5 cups of chicken broth, I used 4 cups, then 1 cup of beef broth (figuring it shoul compliment the sausage). It was awesome! Just enough of a slight flavor change to mix it up a bit.
Will still continue with original recipe though. Can’t get enough of it!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying this one Jenn! It’s fun to mix it up a little. I make it all the time, especially on a cozy fall day like today! Thanks so much for the review!💖
I love soup (my husband not so much but he loves this)! It’s one of my favorites! The flavor is wonderful. It is simple, comforting and filling. I use spinach instead of kale. Also I add a box of baby bella mushrooms! I do everything else the same. I have made this more times than I can count and it’s always a hit!
I’m so happy you guys are enjoying this one Miranda! It’s one of my personal favorites! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
This was amazing soup! Will definitely make again.
I’m so happy you liked it Adrianna! Thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Spinach instead of kale. Family not big soup guys but loved this soup
I’m so happy to hear that Jessica!! Thank you so much!! 🙂
Made this soup, for the first time as written, it was delicious, my family loved it! Great soup for those cool fall days! Thank you!
I’m so happy that you and your family loved it Lorraine! Thank you so much for the review!! ❤️
I was scrolling Pinterest and came across this recipe. It is delicious. I made it exactly as recipe was printed. Big hit in my house.
I’m so happy it was such a hit Pat!! Thanks so much for the great review!!
One of our favorites. I’ve actually never made it with Italian sausage because we don’t buy that normally so I substituted 1/2 lb of hot breakfast sausage. So flavorful and delicious , don’t forget you crusty bread for dipping! Not waiting on Texas to cool down any longer, 80 degrees will have to do, I’ve waited too long!
I am soo happy that you love it Sarah! I totally use breakfast sausage for this and it’s SO GOOD!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I’m so glad that you aren’t waiting for official soup weather in TX!! 😉
Delicious! I don’t really measure when I make soups, so this was no exception. But the general guideline was great and the end result was a hit! My only true change was to boil the tortellini separately, and then add to soup at service per bowl. That way the leftovers dont get soggy with the pasta in the broth in the refrigerator. I do the same thing with any soup with noodles and it works great.
Nice work! I’m so happy you liked it! I recommend doing the same thing that you did for people that are going to eat this later on. Make the tortellini when you’re ready to eat! Thanks so much for the great review!💖
A big hit with my wife, teen, and 6 year old. My wife does not love Italian sausage so I added a bit more tortellini, but she loved the flavor the sausage added to the broth. Will definitely make again.
This makes me so happy Beau! I love that your family enjoyed it, it’s one of my favorite soups. Thanks so much for the great comments!😃
This is literally my favorite soup, so delicious! I’ve been anxiously awaiting Fall so I can make it again 😋
I’m so happy Fall is here too! It’s full on soup season! Thanks so much for the great review Ellie!!!💖