Sausage Tortellini Soup
Browned Italian sausage, carrot coins, celery, and folded cheese tortellini fill a pale, lightly creamy broth. The soup stays loose and spoonable because the tortellini goes in only after the vegetables are nearly tender. A low-heat finish of cream and Parmesan keeps the broth smooth.
Made in one Dutch oven, it serves six and takes about 40 minutes, depending on the tortellini’s package directions.
Ingredients for Sausage Tortellini Soup
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed if needed (about 450g)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup or 150g)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch coins (about 180g)
- 2 celery ribs, diced (about 100g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, only if the pot is dry after browning the sausage
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (about 510g)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 45g), plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Use low-sodium broth and wait until the end to add salt. The sausage, tortellini, and Parmesan all contribute seasoning.
How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Brown the sausage: Heat a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage without oil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small, irregular crumbles, until browned in spots with no pink remaining. Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Keep the sausage in the pot or return it after draining.
- Soften the vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, along with the olive oil only if the pot looks dry. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Simmer the broth: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a gentle medium-low simmer. Cook partly covered or uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are nearly fork-tender but still hold their shape.
- Cook the tortellini: Add the refrigerated tortellini and simmer uncovered according to its package directions, commonly 3 to 5 minutes. Stir gently once or twice to prevent sticking. Begin checking at 3 minutes; the tortellini should be tender and hot through, with its seams intact.
- Finish the broth: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream and Parmesan for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broth is pale, creamy, and steaming. Do not let it boil hard. Taste, then add black pepper and salt as needed.
- Serve: Remove from the heat and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle into large bowls, distributing the tortellini, sausage, carrots, and celery evenly. Top with parsley and a light sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve promptly.
How to Keep the Tortellini Tender
Add tortellini only after the carrots are nearly done, and avoid holding the finished soup in the hot pot for long. The pasta can keep absorbing broth, becoming swollen or splitting at the seams.
Frozen cheese tortellini also works, but follow its package directions rather than the refrigerated pasta timing. Add it to the simmering broth before the cream, and check it several minutes before the package time is up.
Why Add Cream at the End?
Low heat helps the cream and Parmesan blend into the broth without turning grainy or separated. Draining excess sausage grease before adding the vegetables also keeps the finished soup from looking oily. For a lighter broth, substitute half-and-half for the cream; the soup will be less rich and slightly less opaque.
Sausage Tortellini Soup Variations
- Make it spicy: Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild, or add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes with the Italian seasoning.
- Add spinach: Stir 2 packed cups baby spinach into the finished soup off heat, just until wilted.
Serve with crusty bread or a simple green salad. For another creamy soup with tender pasta, try Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
For the best texture, cool the broth and cooked tortellini promptly, then refrigerate them in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. If the soup is already combined, refrigerate it for up to 3 days; expect softer pasta and a thicker broth.
Reheat gently over medium-low heat or in short microwave intervals. Add chicken broth a splash at a time until the soup is loose and spoonable again. Avoid a hard boil.
To make ahead, prepare the sausage-and-vegetable broth base up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it without tortellini, cream, or parsley. Reheat the base, cook the tortellini in it, then finish with cream and Parmesan. For longer storage, freeze the cooled broth base without tortellini or cream for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and finishing the soup.
Nutrition
Approximate per serving, based on 6 servings: 600 calories, 26g protein, 37g fat, and 41g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of finished soup: 120 calories, 5g protein, 7g fat, and 8g carbohydrates. Values vary with the sausage, tortellini, and amount of fat drained.
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed if needed (about 450 g)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup or 150 g)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch coins (about 180 g)
- 2 celery ribs, diced (about 100 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (about 510 g)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 45 g), plus more for serving
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and no pink remains.
- Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Return the sausage to the pot if needed.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and olive oil if the pot is dry. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle medium-low simmer.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, partly covered or uncovered, until the carrots are nearly fork-tender.
- Add the tortellini and simmer uncovered according to package directions, usually 3 to 5 minutes. Stir gently once or twice to prevent sticking.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broth is creamy and steaming. Do not boil hard.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Remove from the heat and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and additional Parmesan. Serve promptly.
Tips
- Use low-sodium broth and season with salt only after adding the sausage, tortellini, and Parmesan.
- Add tortellini only after the carrots are nearly tender so the pasta does not become swollen or split.
- Keep the heat low after adding cream and Parmesan to prevent a grainy or separated broth.
- Drain excess sausage grease before cooking the vegetables to keep the soup from becoming oily.
- Check refrigerated tortellini at 3 minutes and follow package directions when using frozen tortellini.
Variations
- Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup: Use hot Italian sausage or add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes with the Italian seasoning.
- Spinach Tortellini Soup: Stir 2 packed cups of baby spinach into the finished soup off the heat until just wilted.
- Lighter Creamy Soup: Substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream for a less rich, slightly less opaque broth.
