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
Did you make this recipe?
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DELICIOUS!!!!
I prefer more SOUP – so next time I might halve the tortellini and the sausage or double the “soup” stuff. SOOOO yummy. Also – used Chicken sausage and half & half to try to reduce calories a bit.
Have made this no less than a dozen times and it’s always a crowd pleaser. I use a can of crushed tomatoes instead of sauce (whole 15oz can) and hot Italian sausage. Always a win with some fresh hot bread!! Thank you for sharing!!
So delicious! Made it exactly as you have it here. Many times now. But what I’d love to know is the calorie content.
I made this creamy tortellini soup tonight. The soup came out as delicious as it looked. My daughter is very picky, and I got a dissatisfied look when I mentioned what I was making for dinner. She gave this recipe an 8 out of 10. I also delivered some to my neighbor, who is feeling a little under the weather. She gave it a 9. Way to go!
Do you have any crockpot recipes, as softball season is around the corner?
Thank you for the recipe. I can’t wait to try more.
Lorraine
I am not typically one to leave reviews on things- but this soup is amazing. I have had to substitute the tortellini with Italian sausage ravioli a few times and it is divine.
Only downside is that I never have leftovers ! Thanks for sharing <3
This has become a regular in our meal plan! I do use less gr sausage then the recipe calls for and more tomato sauce. And I think kale not Spinach is a better choice! It has great texture and doesn’t get over cooked. Usually add more then suggested! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
My 19 year old daughter made this but instead of sauce she used canned chopped tomatoes. So, so good, You’ll want thirds!
OMG-The best soup. I made it for my Christmas lunch for my family. I didn’t make it previously so we all tasted it for the first time together. A real winner with all 8 of us!
Rich, creamy and delicious.
Very good and easy. I used dried tortellini as that is what I had and kale from the garden.
My hubby loves this – thank you for another delicious recipe! It is now a regular menu feature at our house.
Easy and So Delicious!
I made this for the soup and salad course of a progressive dinner, and it was an absolute hit!
I followed the directions exactly because I am not a great cook and I impressed everyone including myself. The only thing I changed was substituting spinach for kale. Everyone asked for the recipe. I will be definitely making this again and again.
Great flavor and super easy. Thx for sharing such great recipes.
Delicious – i use it for a meal prep for either lunch or dinner – I about a cup or two of quinoa when I add the stock and tomato sauce (I usually up the tomato sauce to 14 oz to compensate for the needed liquid) so I can meet my dietary needs – delicious and filling – I also usually add a piece of crusty bread
SOOOOO good and perfect for a midweek winter meal. The first time I made it as written and my daughter and I each ate so much, we were groaning from being so full. The next time I made it a bit easier even then it is by using jarred spaghetti sauce to replace the Italian seasoning and tomato sauce. We like it spicy so I also used hot italian sausage. It is so worth making it though, one of or favorite go tos, especially when it is a busy sport filled night and you have to get dinner made quick.
made this twice now! love it!! delicious 🙂
This is amazing !! Great recipe!!
This is one of my absolute favorite soups! So warm and comforting on a cold winter night.
I do sub spinach for the kale (personal preference).
If you’re thinking about making this soup, MAKE THE SOUP! It’s sooooo good and very comforting. I replace the kale with spinach and it’s great!
Huge hit in our house! My son, who doesn’t like soup, loves it. Big flavor for such a short cooking time. I’ve made it twice now. First time following the recipe, except for the kale (substituted spinach) and heavy cream (substituted half & half with a pat of butter). Fantastic, as is! Second time added some mushrooms and a few shakes of crushed red pepper…for a little deeper flavor. Serve it up with some crusty Italian bread and a TJs Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit. Easy and yummy! Thank you for this recipe!
This is a delicious recipe. I subbed spinach for kale, subbed veggie broth for chicken, and used spicy Italian sausage, but otherwise followed the recipe. Wow! Would highly recommend- 10 out of 10. Thank you!