Creamy Tortellini Soup
by Chungah
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A quick 30 min dinner! Made with crumbled sausage, kale, Parmesan and tender tortellini. So easy, so cozy, so good.
Featured Comment
I’ve loaded up on parkas and electric blankets for myself and Butters. But I don’t know, guys. It’s going to be a dicey winter for us Californians. But what I do know is this – have as much of this creamy tortellini soup as possible until the polar vortex passes. That and all the crusty bread to sop up every last drop of this lovely creamy goodness.
tips and tricks for success
- Use fresh tortellini. Fresh cheese tortellini cooks quickly and keeps the soup creamy without becoming mushy.
- Add the cream slowly at the very end to prevent curdling and to keep your tortellini soup creamy and smooth.
- Save leftover Parmesan rinds. Adding them while simmering in a Dutch oven gives this creamy tortellini soup a nutty depth of flavor.
- Store tortellini separately for leftovers. Store cooked tortellini separately when meal prepping or freezing so the soup doesn’t lose its creamy broth.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with homemade crusty bread or garlic knots for dipping—classic sides for creamy tortellini soup.
What to Serve with Creamy Tortellini Soup
Tools For Making Tortellini Soup
Dutch oven
Tortellini Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Swiss chard, baby spinach, collard greens, and cabbage are all great options.
We love using fresh cheese tortellini for a more neutral base but your favorite tortellini would also work very well here.
Absolutely! Dried tortellini can be cooked in a separate pot and added to the soup at the end of cooking time until warmed through.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the tortellini and heavy cream (cream soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked tortellini and heavy cream when serving.
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (3-inch) Parmesan rind, optional
- 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
- ½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, onion and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock, tomato sauce and Parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in tortellini; cover and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and basil until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
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Wow! This was so easy and so delicious! Even our picky 11 year old went back for seconds. I will definitely be making this again! Used Italian turkey sausage and spinich because that’s what we already had, thank you for the great recipe!
Question: When you say Tomato Sauce, do you mean a bottle of pasta sauce or pureed tomatoes? Looking forward to trying this recipe! Thanks so much.
I think she means tomato sauce in the can which is just puréed tomatoes
I used red sauce and left out the Italian seasoning. it’s delicious
Fabulous. I didn’t have kale so I used spinach, and that was terrific, too.
I make this soup once a month and my family eats it all in a day
Straight up savory, creamy, garlicky, sausage-y, tortellini-y crack in a bowl. I’ll be eating this for DAYS!!!!
Snow was in the forecast, so soup seemed to be a great idea. I had seen this recipe before and decided to give it a try. IT WAS AMAZING! My husband loved it and wanted to ensure we left a great review. I followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful. Will be using this throughout the winter months! Thank-you!
I made this soup (subbed spinach for kale) and this was so good.
I made a big pot and ate it all week for dinner. Each day I couldnt wait to get home to eat this. I never got tired of it.
The creaminess of the soup base and the spicy sausage go so well together.
Dont forget the crusty bread!
Does there have a video and I can see how to make that. I am beginner learning. =D
Brittley, there is no video for this recipe but if you follow the instructions closely, you should be just fine. We believe in you! Good luck! 🙂
Delicious soup!!!!! I never leave reviews but this soup was amazing. I substituted turkey sausage and used the whole can of tomato sauce the 2nd time I made it and loved it felt like it was more creamy. You must make this soup
Scrumptious! This soup was absolutely amazing, thanks so much. I have been eating it for three days, and other than the tortellini having soaked up much of the liquid, it is still delicious. I am going to add some more chicken broth, right now it eats like a stew. Super hearty and soooo tasty.
This is a great recipe. It’s easily changed depending on what you may have on hand. I use frozen tortellini in a pinch, and I’ll throw everything into the crock pot for an hour to simmer. My favorite variation is a hearty primavera loaded with tender veggies and a hearty sauce. You can add some wine to give it an extra kick.
Easy and tasty. Prepared as written but used spinach instead of kale and added some chopped celery and carrots with the onion. This one is a keeper!
Going to try tonight and add sliced mushrooms along with the sausage. Will report back!
Please do! That sounds like a great addition.
easy and pretty good. I thought it was a little bland and added some creole seasoning.
Delicious. I’ve also substituted the sausage with left over rotisserie chicken, love then both.
Awesome! Just finished eating it and it was amazing. Full of flavor and so easy. I used spinach instead of kale. Will make it again.
Followed this recipe exactly (minus the fresh basil garnish because we don’t like basil) and it was UNBELIEVABLY good! I’ve already written the recipe into my homemade booklet of regular recipes! Thank you! Can’t wait to make it again for a group!
This was sooooo good! I liked that it only used a small can of tomato sauce so it was a lighter creamier tomato taste. I substituted the kale for spinach and added some freshly grated parmesan cheese to it. Delicious!! It will be a new regular go-to recipe for me.
This recipe was DELICIOUSLY good! I was a little concerned about my sauce not thickening, but once I put into bowls and served, I realized it was just perfect. If you are feeding a family of four or more, I’d recommend using a family size package of tortellini (I have a husband and two boys in the house). Three of us are vegetarians so I omitted the sausage altogether and it was absolutely divine. I also substituted kale for spinach. My husband, a huge meat eater, is such a champ when it comes to eating vegetarian, however, for this meal, I cooked chicken chorizo in a separate pan and added to his bowl once served – he LOVED it!
This was the BEST soup I have ever eaten! And I’m not even a sausage fan. Really good flavor! Love her recipes! Have made many, and love them all, but this is my favorite!
SO GOOD! i subbed coconut milk for the heavy cream and it was delish!!