Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
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Indulge in the comforting flavors of our hearty Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup recipe. A medley of Italian sausage, vegetables, and cheese tortellini all simmer together in a rich and flavorful tomato broth. Like our creamy Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage, this is a great one to serve to groups!
Why I Love This Recipe
I’ve made this particular soup for over a decade for family and friends. Friends, it’s so yummy! Here’s what I love about this recipe:
- Easy to make
- Hearty and comforting
- Complex, rich flavor
- Great to serve to company!
Ingredients
- Ground mild Italian sausage (turkey or pork) – Look for all-natural tortellini in the health food section, or be sure to read the labels of any other options and choose the one with the fewest ingredients in it.
- Diced onions, carrots, celery – Aim for cutting up the vegetables pretty small and in evenly-sized pieces.
- Non-marinated, quartered artichokes – You’ll use both the flavorful liquid and the artichokes.
- Petite diced tomatoes – Sub fire-roasted diced tomatoes for even more flavor.
- Tomato sauce – Look for the canned tomato sauce in the canned food aisle. Plain marinara sauce will work as a substitute.
- Chicken broth – My favorite store-bought brand is Pacific Broth. Or try making Homemade Chicken Broth.
- Frozen cheese tortellini – Look for the brand with the fewest ingredients.
- Baby spinach – Fresh baby spinach is best. I like to give it a rough chop before tossing it in the soup.
Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.
Variations and Substitutions
- Want more heat? Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild or add more red pepper flakes.
- Diced zucchini would be good in this. Throw it in when it’s time to boil the soup.
- Gluten-Free Version: Replace the cheese tortellini with gluten-free tortellini or pasta.
- Dairy-Free Version: Replace the cheese tortellini with your favorite pasta. Cook according to package directions.
How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup
Here’s a quick overview of how this soup is made…
Brown Sausage
Brown Italian sausage until cooked through and season with Italian seasoning. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
Saute Veggies
Saute onion, carrots, and celery until soft. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and garlic.
Cook Soup
Add cooked sausage, the liquid from artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes (liquid and all), tomato sauce, chopped artichokes, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer with the lid partially on for 15-20 minutes.
Add Tortellini & Spinach:
Add tortellini and spinach, and cook the tortellini according to package directions. Remove from the heat.
Serve
Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve warm in bowls topped with optional grated Parmesan cheese.
Can You Freeze Tortellini Soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. Here’s the best way to freeze Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup.
Freeze For Later: Stop cooking the soup at the end of Step 3, before adding tortellini and spinach. Cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag or container, squeezing out all excess air and sealing tightly.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the fridge or in the microwave in a glass bowl using the defrost setting. Then, bring to a simmer in a stock pot on the stove. Add tortellini and chopped spinach and cook until done according to package directions. Serve as directed.
Alternate Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the soup in individual portions after it is fully cooked, but just know that the tortellini will get really soft after freezing and rewarming.
More FAQs
Traditional Italian pork sausage–mild or spicy–works well for this soup. You can use turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter option.
The key is to add them at the very end of the cook time and boil them according to package directions.
Zucchini, kale, or bell peppers would be nice additions to this soup.
To reheat the soup, gently warm it on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. Avoid boiling the soup vigorously to prevent overcooking the tortellini.
More Cozy Soups to Try
Be sure to Pin or bookmark these other popular soups on our site:
- Mexican Soup – A crowd pleaser.
- Tomato Bisque – My family refuses any other.
- Cheeseburger Soup – Comfort in a bowl.
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup – Might be my favorite recipe on the site.
- Potato Corn Chowder – AKA “Autumn Chowder”.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Our hearty Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini features a medley of Italian sausage, vegetables, and cheese tortellini all simmered together in a rich and flavorful tomato broth. Great one to serve to groups!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ground mild Italian sausage (turkey or pork)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup diced onions (about 1/2 large onion)
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 teaspoon pre-minced garlic)
- 1 (14-ounces) can non-marinated, quartered artichokes
- 1 (14.5-ounces) can petite diced tomatoes (sub: fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
- 1 (15-ounces) can tomato sauce
- 1 quart (32-ounces) chicken broth
- 2 1/2–3 cups (8-10 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini (sub: gluten-free rotini pasta)
- 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Brown Sausage: In a 5- or 6-quart stock pot over medium-high heat, brown Italian sausage until cooked through, about 5 minutes, adding Italian seasoning to the sausage while it cooks. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
- Saute Veggies: Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with red pepper flakes and lightly with salt and pepper, to taste, while they cook. Add in the garlic during the last 30-60 seconds of cooking time, so it doesn’t burn.
- Cook Soup: Add cooked sausage, the liquid from artichoke hearts (reserve artichokes), diced tomatoes (liquid and all), tomato sauce, and broth to the pot, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. While soup comes to a boil, chop the artichokes into bite-sized pieces and toss into the pot. Simmer with the lid partially on for 15-20 minutes. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Add Tortellini & Spinach: Add tortellini and spinach, and cook the tortellini according to package directions. Remove from the heat.
- Serve: Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve warm in bowls topped with optional grated Parmesan cheese.
Freeze For Later: Stop cooking the soup at the end of Step 3, before adding tortellini and spinach. Cool completely and freeze in a freezer bag or container, squeezing out all excess air and sealing tightly.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the fridge or in the microwave in a glass bowl using the defrost setting. Then, bring to a simmer in a stock pot on the stove. Add tortellini and chopped spinach and cook until done according to package directions. Serve as directed.
Alternate Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the soup in individual portions after it is fully cooked, but just know that the tortellini will get really soft after freezing and rewarming.
Notes/Tips
- Look for all-natural tortellini in the health food section, or be sure to read the labels of any other options and choose the one with the fewest ingredients in it.
- Want more heat? Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild or add more red pepper flakes.
- Aim for cutting up the vegetables pretty small and in evenly-sized pieces.
- Diced zucchini would be good in this. Throw it in when it’s time to boil the soup.
- Gluten-Free Version: Replace the French Onion soup with 1-quart chicken broth and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Replace the cheese tortellini with gluten-free tortellini or pasta.
- Dairy-Free Version: Replace the cheese tortellini with your favorite pasta. Cook according to package directions.
- Old Recipe Version: We updated this recipe in July 2023 with the popular one from our first cookbook, which leaves out the canned French Onion soup. Here is the old version:
-
- 16 oz. mild Italian sausage, crumbled and browned
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or more to taste)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 celery rib, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (14-ounces) cans non-marinated, quartered artichokes (liquid and all)
- 1 (14-ounces) can diced tomatoes (liquid and all)
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 cans French Onion Soup
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used 1 box)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 package frozen cheese tortellini
- In a large stock pot over medium high heat, brown Italian sausage until cooked through. Add seasonings to the sausage. Set aside.
- Over medium-high heat, saute onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add cooked sausage, artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, French Onion Soup, broth, corn, and bay leaves to the pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add tortellini and cook according to package directions just a few minutes before serving.
- Remove bay leaves and serve with Parmesan cheese on top.
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
This made me a big hero when I made it for my family. I used “no salt” chicken broth and let everyone add salt and pepper to taste once it was served. Perfect for a gray winter afternoon.
Hi Joel! So glad this recipe gave you hero status! Thanks for taking the time to leave a detailed review.
Made the updated version that omits the soup mix. I used venison italian sausage and salt free tomatoes and sauce. I also did not add any salt when cooking. My husband was skeptical about the artichokes, but said the flavors blended together so well he didn’t notice them. We both loved the soup! It was flavorful and filling. Will definitely be in the meal rotation.
Hi Julie! Thanks for the detailed review. So glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
I made this mostly for myself because I wanted the soup base & I knew that my girls would at least eat the tortellini. They nervously tasted it and both said, “Wow. That is good!”. It was a triple win!
Terrific news Maia! Thanks for sharing. 🙂