Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Creamy sausage and tortellini soup is a bowl full of comfort! It’s loaded with veggies, sausage and cheese tortellini- plus it comes together in just 45 minutes!
I love soup, but I have to be honest, my kids hate it. For those of you who are new here, my kids aren’t picky eaters, in fact, they’re quite the opposite. There’s just something about soup that totally weirds them out, except for of course, chili, chicken & noodles, and this creamy sausage and tortellini soup.
They ate an entire bowl and then some.
Yessss!!
It’s creamy without being heavy, full of veggies, and loaded with pillowy cheese tortellini. Who wouldn’t love it?!
This recipe is super simple and it comes together in 45 minutes. You probably have half of the ingredients on hand, and the others are really easy to find. It tastes amazing the day it’s made, and delicious the day after. Did I mention it requires only 1 pot?! Oh yeah!
To start you’ll brown 1 pound of Italian sausage in your stockpot. Transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Using the remaining grease (about 1 tablespoon or so), sauté the onion, shallot and carrots, sauté for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are nice and soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken stock, whisk to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.
Pat as much grease as possible off of the sausage (that way you wont have excess grease on the top of the soup) , then add it along with the tortellini, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, chopped spinach, and half & half. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tortellini is fully cooked.
Ladle it into serving bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan. We served ours with some crusty bread and a side salad, and like I mentioned above, it was gone in seconds!
LEARN HOW TO MAKE CREAMY SAUSAGE AND TORTELLINI SOUP IN THE VIDEO BELOW:
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Creamy Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Creamy sausage and tortellini soup is a bowl full of comfort! It’s loaded with veggies, sausage and cheese tortellini- plus it comes together in just 45 minutes!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ c. all-purpose flour
- 5 c. chicken broth
- 14 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini*
- 1 tsp. kosher sea salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 6 ounces chopped fresh spinach
- 2 c. half & half (or heavy cream)
Directions:
- In a large stockpot set over medium-high, cook the sausage until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate; set aside.
- Add onion, shallot and carrot, sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth, whisk to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.
- Pat as much grease as possible off of the sausage, then add it along with the tortellini, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, spinach, and half & half. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tortellini is fully cooked.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan, if desired.
-I used regular Italian sausage, NOT hot Italian sausage. You can also use plain pork sausage and season with an additional 1 tsp. Italian seasoning.
*You can use whatever stuffed tortellini you prefer.
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
All images and text ©.
hey girl- this is yummy for my tummy!
Thank you Shawnna!
I just made this and it is absolutely delicious. I doubled the recipe because I knew it was going to be good. I make a copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi which has the same broth and veggies. That was my favorite but now this is. The Italian sausage and tortellini have excellent flavor. Thank you for the recipe.
Would you be willing to share the Olive Garden Gnocchi recipe? Please 🙂
It’s coming at you in the next week or so 🙂
This looks amazing and I’m going to try it tonight. Quick question though: the recipe says chicken broth, but the instructions say chicken stock. Which is preferred or does it matter?
Doesn’t matter, but I generally use broth. Thanks for catching that!
I just made this, and it is delicious! Thank you! I will be making it again without a doubt.
Do you think that you could substitute milk for the half and half? This recipe looks delicious!
Definitely! Enjoy 🙂
I used a 14 oz Jar of Alfredo sauce instead of heavy cream and 12 frozen Italian meatballs cut in half instead of sausage it was very good family loved it
Hello! Looks amazing! Are the tortellini bloated the next day from sitting in the soup? If so, would it matter if I cooked then added the tortellini to each bowl instead of the whole soup?
They do get a little bigger, but because the liquid is slightly thicker they don’t get overly bloated. You can definitely serve them separate if you’re worried 🙂
Thank you so much!!
Are you able to freeze this recipe and reheat?
Yes, I was wondering the same thing about freezing it. Has anyone tried?
Pasta Freeze’s really well this stuff is awesome
I haven’t tried freezing this soup yet. I would probably recommend reserving the tortellini, freezing that separately and adding it in when reheated.
I make this ahead of time, put it in single-serve storage containers, and stick in the freezer. That way, I can grab one on my way out the door when I head to work on those days that I’m running late. I leave it sitting on the window sill in my office, and the sun defrosts it enough that I can put it in the microwave, click “reheat” and it turns out fantastic!
I sometimes add in sliced baby portabella mushrooms. This is my favorite soup recipe!
Mushrooms would be lovely! Totally adding those next time!
My husband and I own and operate a soup and salad bar in our little town. I added this soup to our offerings last week and it sold out in hours! I made very little in the way of tweaks (mostly I just adjusted for a large quantity.) It is one of the best soups we’ve offered – and our soup is very popular! Thanks for the great recipe, we’ll be enjoying it often!
Angie, I’d love to know how you & your husband started your soup/salad cafe, how you determined your menu offerings, etc. I’m a soup lover & I also make a lot of soup, a couple of which have won soup cook-offs in my community. I’ve often wondered how 1) I could package & market my soup and/or 2) how I would go about forming a small soup & salad or sandwich cafe or carry-out bar. Any thoughts you’d care to share?
Great recipe! The family loved it, even the 2-yr-old. Will be part of our cold weather rotation. Thank you so much. Danni
Excellent! Used mixed greens (mustards, collards and turnips), instead of spinach, as I had on hand.
Cannot wait for leftovers tomorrow. Is soup for breakfast wrong?
Yum!
If soup for breakfast is wrong, I don’t want to be right!
I’m trying tonight. I’ve added mushrooms as they’re my husband’s favorite! I can’t wait to try it!
I ordered regular Italian sausage but they delivered hot Italian sausage… do you think it will still come out okay??
Update! I made this tonight with hot Italian chicken sausage and it was out of this world. Hands down the best soup I’ve ever had. The chicken keeps it lighter, and the heat is the perfect amount for fighting off a cold or winter. I don’t typically like spicy foods, and this was the right amount of heat for me. Thank you for sharing!!
Oh good! I was trying it tonight and I had only had hot Italian sausage on han! Lol
Made this exactly as written and my kids are still thanking me! Served it with bread sticks. Thanks for your great recipe!
We LOVED this recipe! The broth is so rich and delicious! My only suggestion would be to take the veggies out of the pan before whisking in the flour so the flour doesn’t stick to the veggies when making the roux. I may try adding thinly sliced potatoes next time (like a zuppa), but this was wonderful! We served it with thick, crusty French bread. Yum!
This was simply amazing!!!! I used heavy cream instead of half and half and it turned out so good!!
Great easy recipe for a cold rainy fall night. It was absolutely delicious and you won’t be disappointed!!
Do you slice the sausage or remove the casing and crumble?
I used sausage without casing 🙂
I want to try this recipe, it looks delicious! Only question is, what’s with the * by the tortellini? I can’t find anything that explains that.
Hi Wendy, it indicates that you can use any type of stuffed tortellini you like. Cheese, spinach, butternut squash etc.
Thank You! I closed the ad at the bottom of the screen & that note was there. ? Looking forward to trying this tonight!
Great recipe! I put some gnocchi in there as well that I found in the fresh pasta area at the store. Whole family loves it!!!! Thank you
I’ve seen a slow cooker recipe that’s similar to this, and it calls for beef broth. Would it be ok to sub beef broth/stock in place of the chicken? Thanks- I’m making this tonight!
Beef broth will give it a different taste, but you can definitely use it!
This recipe calls for onion and shallots ??? This must be a typo. Onion , celery and carrot is what the ingredients should be.
Onion and shallots are basically the same thing. Making this soup like any other soup usually starts with making Mire Piox. Onion, celery, carrot.
Not a typo. I simply adds additional flavor to the soup. You’re more than welcome to skip it entirely.
You Go Girl. Shallots gives a great little background flavor that
Good palates recognize. One of the best newer comfort
soups I’ve had lately.
Thanks solo much for sharing.
Barbara Grubb/Tennessee
You are welcome Barbara, and yes, shallots are always my secret ingredient!
Mansplaining much?!?!
Found this recipe on Pinterest. I made this with mild italian sausage, “homemade” cheese tortellini shells found at my local grocery store instead of the dried ones in the pasta aisle, used heavy cream, and baked a crusty french bread to go with it. It was hardly any work at all and so, so, so delicious. My husband went back for thirds. This is officially going into our roster of monthly meals.
Thanks for the rave review Elizabeth! Glad everyone enjoyed it 🙂
I made this the other night n oh my it was awesome!! Will def be making it once a month if not more!! Only thing difficult did was i added mushrooms. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
I wouldn’t change a thing about this recipe—it’s perfect! Yum!
Thank you!!
What would be the best way to do this in a crock pot?
Brown the sausage, drain it, toss flour in and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the sausage + all of the other ingredients except for the tortellini and the spinach to the crock pot. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6. Add the tortellini and cook on high for 45 minutes, then add the spinach during the last 15 minutes of the tortellini cooking. Hope that helps!
Even the half and half? Or wait to add that with the tortellini?
Sorry, I would probably wait to add that too.
I am not a soup person. For whatever reason, this intrigued me and I gave it a shot. Sweet Jesus, this might be one of the most deliocious dinners I have ever made. Thank you for sharing this recipe and reminding me to get outside of my comfort zone!!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Do you think you could use chicken sausage?
Do you think this would be good with Italian chicken sausage?
Definitely!
Found this recipe this morning and made it for dinner tonight. Wow was it good and full of flavor! My wife told me it was better than her famous cream of broccoli soup which I thought was untouchable. Thanks for making me look good in the kitchen!
Kevin in Grand Rapids MI
Thanks for the rave review Kevin!!
Delicious!!! Very easy to make and family loved it!
I used blanched collard greens instead of spinach, milk and butter instead of half and half and frozen tortellini because it’s what I had. It turned out delicious!
I don’t make soup from scratch often but I am happy I did. This weather is begging for it!
My husband normally isn’t a soup fan, but LOVES this and has even asked when I’m making it again! It’s so delicious!
I have made this 2 times now but used vegetarian sausage and my husband LOVES it! He is having me make it again today.
Delicious soup! Thank you for the recipe! Will be great to warm up with during Wisconsin winters! I Made tonight with (thawed) frozen chopped spinach … otherwise followed exactly. *Saving!!!*
Made this tonight. Went with the half and half option vs. heavy cream and this recipe is amazing! So much flavor. I cooked the chopped veggies at the same time as the sausage just to be sure the veggies were soft enough for hubby’s taste. This is a keeper recipe for sure!!
One word—AMAZING!!!
We love it and will continue to keep it as one of our favorite meals.
Thank you
This was a delicious and hearty soup for a cold wet day!
This looks right up my alley! I’ll try it with GF tortellini! Love your site.
Jodi
Blondielikestocook.com
This is AMAZING. I used Mild Italian Sausage, and I substituted the pasta for potatoes, it was so good! Definitely my favorite dinner now!
I made this last week and we loved it. It makes a big batch for the two of us but it microwaves really well and we happily ate leftovers for a couple of days. We will definitely make this again, but I think I will use breakfast sausage instead of the Italian sausage because we prefer that flavor. Thanks for a great recipe!
Made this tonight. SOOOOO GOOD! I read through the reviews and knew it would be a hit with my two boys, even though they were skeptical of the spinach at first. The only issue I encountered is that the sausage didn’t release enough fat to make a proper roux with the flour. I just added butter until it was the right consistency. I also used 2% milk to save some calories. It was still rich and luscious. Served with a rustic ciabatta bread. Seriously – don’t wait. Make this!! You won’t regret it.
WHen making this ahead should i add the tortellini right away or wait until serving? Thanks!
Just made this- soooo yummy! It’s 11 degrees in Ohio right now, this hit the spot!
This was seriously amazing! I could only find a 20oz package of tortellini so I just increased the broth+cream a bit to compensate for the extra pasta. I also added some red pepper flakes. My husband couldn’t stop raving about it! Thank you!
Can I use frozen mixed veggies in this recipe
Definitely!
Made this today with small changes. Grated the carrot and onion, did not have shallots so i put in sliced thin celery and used heavy cream. Oh, and tri colored totellini. Very yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
Do you think it would be ok if I switched the spinach for kale? I’m not a huge spinach fan.
Definitely!
This is amazing! I didn’t use any onion/shallot since my husband doesn’t like either one so I added some extra Italian seasoning to bump up the flavor. I also used corn starch as a thickener since I didn’t have enough oil left from sausage to make a roux. Delicious!
Cold here in Georgia with all the frigid winds and cold rains, found this recipe and I am so thrilled that I did. The warmth of the creamy broth tickles and comforts my tummy!! The hearty, nutritious chunks of love just solidifies the goodness!
Thanks for posting
Excellent recipe! Easy to make vegetarian with Italian smartlife sausage. Thanks!
Amazing! Thanks for this recipe.
This is the best soup I have ever made! My husband DEVOURS it. Everyone at work is jealous when they see my leftovers 🙂 I’ve shared this recipe many times.
Thanks for the glowing review Katie!!
Made this3 times top class good food from my family thanks
It was very delicious, but I had to add more oil to the pot before the flour because it was so dry. I also added more chicken broth because it was overloaded with spinach. I know it cooks down but it was more like creamed spinach than soup. I checked my spinach ounces a couple times to make sure I wasnt crazy lol. I also dont usually have shallots, but I do have Penzey’s Sunny Paris seasoning which I added and gave it that delicious rich shallot flavor. It was incredibly delicious! The family loved it…score!
Happy to hear that, thanks for stopping back Michelle!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe! Have made it 4times in a short time. Giving it as a supper to friends, who also loved it and I’ve shared the recipe with!
Just made this recipe in my instant pot! Let’s hope it comes out just as good! I’ll Later, as it’s just now coming to pressure. Thanks for the receipe!
This looking amazing ? … but what if you can’t do dairy ?
Good question! I currently cannot do dairy as well. I would try skipping the cream/cheese completely OR using your favorite dairy-free substitutes. To be honest, I haven’t found one I like in savory recipes!
Full fat coconut milk (the kind in a can) would work well!
Mmmm! Great substitution!
Hands down this is an amazing dish. The first time I followed the recipe to the letter and it was great but I have to admit I like a little more salt so I just added a 1/2 tsp more and wow this was orgasmic lol.
this is my go to soup recipie it is so so so so good i could eat it everyday lol. i use mild ground italian sausage i also add celery and red pepper. but this soup is so darn good youre a fool if you dont try it!!
This is undoubtedly the best soup I’ve ever made. If you are on the fence about this-do it!
Just made this so easy. So amazing, my family is devouring during football right now. Only thin I did different was I used kale (the farmers market had yesterday for a dollar ).
Our church group rotates making soup for Sunday lunch together, and I have made it for about 30 people. It is a huge hit with everyone. I do 5 times the recipe, so I use 3lbs iof regular sausage and 2 lbs of hot sausage – perfect!
Thank you for the great recipe!
I’ve made this dish with sausage, chicken and steal and each time it was delicious!
This recipe is so simple and to delicious…my new cold weather go to.
I am making this tonight a work soup competition tomorrow. I am going to add the tortellini tomorrow about an hour before as I am warming it up so they do not get too soggy. Do you recommend me doing the same with the spinach? I am also doubling the recipe, so I hope it all works out!
Hi Kristina, are you warming it in a slow cooker or over the stovetop. Really the tortellini and spinach only need 5 minutes max to cook. Anything longer (unless it’s in a slow cooker at a lower heat) will make it too soggy by the time you plan on serving it. I hope that makes sense!
I used hot Italian sausage, and it turned out fantastic. My husband requests this soup. He is not a fan of carrots so this time I am using zucchini instead. Love this recipe!!
Why does it not state the amount of servings? That would be a big help
It’s up at the top of the recipe card.
This is my new favorite soup!! I had 3rds…very delicious.
Odd question, but do you have the estimated nutritional information for this recipe?
Thanks!
I love hearing that!!
I don’t have the estimated nutrition information. One of the main reasons why I don’t add it to my recipes is because everyone uses different brands and sometimes I have options for lower-fat ingredients (milk, or half & half instead of cream for example) which means it can vary a lot! Feel free to plug it into an online calculator 🙂
I made this recipe on Saturday and all I can say is: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The only things that I did differently were I used regular bulk sausage with additional Italian seasonings (as that is what i had) and I added fresh mushrooms along with sweet and white potatoes. It was DELICIOUS! i will certainly make this again! Bon Apetit!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! I added a few baby Bellas. I subbed 8 oz of gnocchi for the tortellini bc my family seems to have a vendetta against tortellini for some reason. It was so good that we could not stop eating. Next time, I will put a little aside for myself and add tortellini. Thanks for this delicious meal.
My husband is usually the cook. I decided to make this for him after he had a long day. I used the hot Italian sausage (we like things on the spicier side). He absolutely LOVED it and told me not to lose the recipe. I have a feeling it’s going to be a popular dish this winter.
I made this soup and absolutely loved it! I was hoping to turn it into a pasta to be served family style at a party. Would you recommend just cutting back on the amount of broth? Open to suggestions!
Yes, I’d cut back on the broth and add a little more half and half or cream.
I substituted carrots for corn. I also used 3 additional sausage links sliced maybe a quarter inch round. Sauteed them and added at the end. I poured a small amount over brown rice to reduce calorie intake. All sausage was chicken based and used less cream with fat free milk. Delicious. Will make again for sure.
I simply LOVE this soup. I’ve made it several times and just can’t stop eating it all up. It’s not too hard to make and I also add extra spinach. I used plain sausage so I added a little more Italian spice. Glad I came across this recipe, thank you.
Made this tonight, first time I ever tried anything like this. It was delicious! Used hot sausage added cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes as my bf loves spicy food. It was even more amazing. His Mother is full blooddd sicilian!! So I hope it’s close to his Mothers’ famous soup. Serving with italian bread!!! Thank you for this recipe!!! 🙂
Natalie:
Let me start off by saying I HATE to cook. I’m a busy mom of three and just need yummy food that’s fast. I have tried so many new recipes that I have lost count and every single one has been an epic fail. This soup was absolutely incredible. So flavorful! And only one pot?!? I followed it exactly and opted for heavy cream because it’s winter in Chicago and soup with heavy cream makes winter more tolerable. Haha. Just wanted to reach out and thank you for posting. I’m going to share your recipe with all my friends and family! Will definitely be a frequent flyer on your site. Happy New Year!!
This is insanely delicious. I’ve made it the past three weekends!
Thank you!
Thank you Jill!
YUM!!! Sent this to my husband and he made it tonight. It’s amazing. Anybody every calculate the nutrition? Lol
Super yummy. My hubby ate 3 bowls!!! I will absolutely make this again.
I cant find the answer to this in the comments……I don’t have refrigerator tortellini….only the dried kind….how can I use this so they cook the right way?
Essentially it should work the same way, just boil it for about 10-12 minutes. Hope that helps!
I made this tonight and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for the recipe. Julia
I absolutely love this soup. I’ve been telling my friends at work about it as well. Any idea how to figure out a calorie count per serving?
Hi Christine, you’d have to pop it into a online nutrition calculator.
Made this tonight for a warming comfort meal…. it’s currently 10 degrees out there! Absolutely delicious, and it’s going to replace my previous Zuppa Toscana recipe that I’ve used for a few years. I used 1 cup of heavy cream that I had to use up and 1 cup of half and half, so that cut down on the fat a tiny bit! Both my husband and my (incredibly picky) daughter went back for seconds – thank you for a great recipe!
Incredible!! It’s 10 degrees in Michigan today and perfect to try out this recipe! Tempting to eat 2 bowls, but sure was difficult to keep on my diet! I’ve added a quart of 1/2 n 1/2, and I also added sliced mushrooms at the beginning with the carrots, onions, etc. Delicious. Just a note: my refrigerated tortellini happened to be in 20 oz sizes, so I added all of them, instead of placing 6 oz in the fridge and not using them up anyway! It was a thicker, hearty soup that I will place in my rotation of meals! Thanks for your expertise in the kitchen. Blessings.
Mindy
First time I ever Commented on a recipe. I think It’s the best soup I’ve ever had or made and I’ve made a lot. Only change I really made are leeks instead of a shallot and added some red pepper flakes. Great recipe!
Fabulous! Perfect on a cold, rainy night. Thank you.
Made this for my family for dinner and it was AMAZING <3 Thank you!
Wow! This soup was incredible. Will make it again for sure! I used hot Italian sausage because that is what I had on hand. It was great. Will try with mild next time.
Thank you Sheri!
I can’t stop making this soup! So so good. I double the recipe every time. It’s definitely in heavy rotation here. Making some tonight ?
i made this for my family, who is not big on soups at all, but they liked it. might have to tweak a little bit for their tastes though. however, over all a great dish. thank you for sharing.
This is delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I omitted the shallot and it was still great. I would like to try a batch making a few healthy substitutes so I can enjoy it more often.
Thank you for sharing that! I am glad to share.
I made this last night for the first time and it was amazing and so very quick and easy! I left my spices out thinking I was going to need to add more to taste because of how little the recipe calls for but it was perfect. I served it was garlic bread which was so yummy dipped in the flavorful soup. This will definitely be added to my recipe rotation.
Glad it’s making the rotation! Thank you for giving it a try 🙂