30-Minute Sausage Tortellini Soup

This 30-minute one-pot sausage tortellini soup is filled with tomatoes, Italian pork sausage, fresh kale, and cheesy tortellini. It’s hearty, creamy, and a total crowd-pleaser that will have your family begging for seconds!

You Will Love This

• Tortellini lovers rejoice! This is a seriously easy soup that will transform the way you think about refrigerated tortellini. It takes the pasta to a whole new level by adding Italian sausage, kale, creamy tomato broth, and lots of herbs and garlic. It’s loaded with flavor but super simple to throw together!
• If you loved this easy sausage tortellini soup recipe, be sure to check out my tomato tortellini soup, sausage lentil soup with kale, and my instant pot spaghetti with meat sauce. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Italian Pork Sausage – Italian sausage typically comes with herbs and spices already mixed in so it’s a great way to get lots of flavor and delicious fat. You can substitute it with turkey sausage or spicy turkey sausage as well. If you’re using a sausage that isn’t Italian seasoned, add some extra Italian seasoning.
• Onion & Garlic – Onion and garlic create a delicious, aromatic base for this soup. I typically use white or yellow onion and fresh garlic cloves. Garlic powder is a good substitute for fresh garlic.
• Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, mix together some dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and dried marjoram. You can also add a few red pepper flakes to add some heat.
• Tomato Paste – Tomato paste adds a deep, rich flavor that gives it that cooked-all-day taste without actually spending all afternoon in the kitchen. You can substitute with tomato sauce or canned tomatoes or just omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
• Flour – All-purpose flour helps to thicken the broth and give it a creamier texture.
• Chicken Broth – Chicken broth is the best in terms of flavor for this soup, but you can also use vegetable broth or beef broth.
• Crushed Tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes help bolster the tomato flavor while adding some texture as well.
• Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini – Any brand of cheese tortellini will work for this recipe. Our family’s favorite is Rana.
• Kale – Fresh kale is best. In a pinch, you could use fresh spinach or another hearty, leafy green.
• Heavy Cream – Heavy cream adds the best flavor and texture to this sausage tortellini soup. Half and half will work as well but the consistency will be thinner.

Instructions

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add Italian sausage. Cook, crumbling with a spatula until cooked through.

Sauté onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Create a well and add tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring.

Sprinkle flour into the pot and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

Add a few splashes of broth until you can easily clean the bottom of the pot with a spatula, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom.

Stir in remaining broth, crushed tomatoes, tortellini, and cooked pork along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.

Bring to a simmer (no need to boil) over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked al dente.

Stir in chopped kale and heavy cream until the kale wilts and the soup is warmed through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and fresh basil if you like and enjoy!

Tips

• Don’t overcook the tortellini. You want the tortellini to be tender but al dente so that it still has a toothsome bite. The best part is that all broth flavors will be infused in the tortellini as it cooks. I recommend carefully tasting the tortellini when you think it’s done.
• Don’t skip the Parmesan cheese! Sometimes garnishes get ignored, but we love topping this soup off with some freshly shaved parmesan cheese. It adds a delicious nutty flavor and a hint of saltiness to the creamy soup.

What goes well with tortellini soup?

• easy garlic bread
• olive cheese bread
• grilled halloumi salad
• air fryer green beans
• roasted artichoke hearts
• garlic bread pizza
• roasted baby potatoes

What is tortellini soup made of?

This creamy tortellini soup is made of a creamy, herb-filled tomato broth loaded with cheesy tortellini, Italian sausage, and fresh kale. It’s cozy and comforting for the perfect weeknight dinner your family will love!

Can cooked tortellini soup be frozen?

Unfortunately, this soup does not freeze well because the pasta will end up getting mushy once it thaws. You can however remove the tortellini, and freeze the rest of the soup. Then add in freshly cooked tortellini when you’re ready to thaw and reheat the soup.

What makes this soup better than others?

The layering of flavors! Pork, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste create a delicious flavor base. The creamy broth is comforting and hearty and has just the right amount of tomato flavor. The al dente cheesy tortellini bulks up the dish and makes it a complete meal your family will love!

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make-Ahead: This soup is a delicious make-ahead meal! Just keep in mind that the pasta will continue to soak up the broth as it sits so it’s best to store the tortellini separately from the rest of the soup and then combine it when you’re ready to reheat.
• Storage: Store broth with meat and veggies separate from the tortellini so that the tortellini doesn’t get soggy. If you aren’t opposed to slightly soggy pasta then you are welcome to store them together and enjoy within 2-3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat soup in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Season to taste before serving.

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