Classic Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Get out your soup pot! This Sausage Tortellini Soup is a hearty, cheesy cold-weather creation ready to upgrade your winter menu. Featuring DeLallo Three-Cheese Tortellini along with sweet or hot Italian sausage, this classic soup recipe is super simple to put together and a hit with everyone in the family. Serve it for dinner or as a substantial lunch option for the cold-weather season. We love to serve it with garlic bread and an extra shake of Parmesan cheese.

What Is Sausage Tortellini Soup?

Sausage Tortellini Soup is a hearty broth-based soup loaded with zesty crumbled Italian sausage, cheese-filled tortellini pasta, spinach and tender vegetables. With a beef broth and tomato base, this soup is reminiscent of a vegetable soup but more filling with the addition of sweet or hot Italian sausage and cheese-filled rings of pasta. It’s the perfect soup recipe to cozy up with on chilly fall and winter days.

Why You’ll Love Sausage Tortellini Soup

We know you’re going to love our Sausage Tortellini Soup. Unlike other variations, this soup recipe is broth-based—not uber rich and creamy. This means it’s hearty and filling, but not super heavy. The foundation of this Sausage Tortellini Soup is a savory tomato and beef broth that takes on the zesty flavor of the Italian sausage. Besides being tasty, it is super easy to prepare and enjoy.

The Ingredients You Will Need To Make Sausage Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage: Choose a sweet or spicy Italian sausage depending on your tastes. The soup will take on the irresistible Italian seasonings of your sausage.

Chopped Vegetables: Onion and celery lend to the overall flavors of your soup with a slight sweetness. We don’t like to overdo it with the garlic, so we prefer 1 fresh clove, but you can add more to your tastes. We add the zucchini after, so that it may retain more of its shape in the soup.

Beef Stock: We prefer beef, but you can use vegetable or chicken stock to serve as your soup’s base. There are low-sodium stock options to cut down on some of the sodium content, as well.

Crushed Tomatoes: Like a good vegetable soup, this soup has an added tomato-y goodness that adds another dimension of flavor. We love crushed tomatoes because they break up better when simmered in soups. Diced tomatoes will keep their shape, if you like a more chunky tomato presence.

Cheese Tortellini: We love cheesy tortellini in our Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup, but feel free to use any tortellini you would like.

Spinach: Add fresh spinach near the end of cook time so it doesn’t get overcooked in the simmering soup. If you’re using frozen spinach, give it more time to cook in the soup. If you don’t want to use spinach, you can also choose Swiss chard, collard greens or kale.

Parmesan Cheese: This nutty, salty hard cheese is an excellent grating cheese and adds the perfect salty finish to your soup. Toss in a Parmesan rind while simmer for even more flavor.

How To Make Sausage Tortellini Soup

Top Serving And Storage Tips

To store leftovers once the soup has cooled, store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. It does taste best right after cooking, when the pasta will be just the right texture.

To reheat, place in a soup pot on the stoptop on a low setting. Let soup heat at a simmer—don’t overcook.

To freeze, cool the soup to room temperature and then store in an air-tight container that is freezer-friendly. The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Note: the pasta gets soft after being frozen, so we recommend making the pasta fresh when ready to serve.

Sausage Tortellini Soup: FAQ

What Do I Serve With Sausage Tortellini Soup?

This Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup is a well-rounded meal in itself, but if you’re looking for that extra addition, we suggest a fresh leafy green salad and a starch like garlic bread.

Can I Use A Different Type Of Sausage?

Yes, you can use an Italian-style turkey or chicken sausage as a substitute for the classic Italian pork sausage. These options are leaner and healthier, if that is your thing.

Can I Use A Different Type Of Tortellini?

You can use any variety of stuffed tortellini pasta for this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup recipe. While we recommend cheesy tortellini, there are many varieties that include mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and butternut squash—to name a few.

Can I Add Heavy Cream To Make It Creamy? Or A Dairy Free Alternative?

Our Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup is not a creamy recipe, but you can surely add heavy cream to make it one. To make our recipe dairy-free, just substitute the tortellini for a cheeseless pasta, like Penne Rigate or Farfalle, and skip the Parmesan cheese.

Can I Use Chicken Stock Instead Of Beef Stock?

Yes, you can substitute chicken stock for beef stock, if you prefer. You can even use vegetable stock.

Can I Use A Parmesan Rind For More Flavor?

Add a Parmesan rind to your soup as it simmers for even more flavor.

Can I Use Kale Instead Of Spinach?

Yes, you can use kale, chard or collard greens as a substitute for the spinach in this recipe.

What Can I Add If I Am Craving More Spice?

If you like to spice things up, choose a super hot Italian sausage for your recipe. You can also use crushed red pepper flakes to add more heat.

Classic Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

• 2 tablespoons DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound loose Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 cups beef stock, plus 1 cup water
• 1 cup DeLallo Imported Italian Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 (8.8-ounce) package DeLallo Three-Cheese Tortellini Pasta
• 4 ounces (about 2 handfuls) fresh spinach
• DeLallo Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sausage. Once sausage is just starting to brown, add onion, celery and garlic. Cook together for about 8 minutes until the vegetables cook down and become translucent. Add stock, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Stir in zucchini.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
3. Add the tortellini and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Add the spinach and serve topped with Parmesan.