Sausage Tortellini Soup

A rich tomato broth, Italian sausage, hearty kale, and cheese-filled tortellini come together in one pot to make a soup that is as practical as it is delicious. This recipe makes 12 servings, stores beautifully, and tastes even better the next day.

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This sausage tortellini soup delivers everything you want in a cozy dinner. Italian sausage browns until golden, a rich tomato broth builds from stewed tomatoes and tomato paste, hearty kale holds its texture through every serving, and tender cheese-filled tortellini brings it all together. It is deeply flavorful, satisfying, and made entirely in one pot.

What sets this recipe apart from most tortellini soups is the broth. Rather than relying on cream to carry the flavor, this soup builds its base the slow way. A full 30-minute simmer that lets the tomatoes, sausage, and aromatics develop into something genuinely rich. You will want to soak up every last drop with a piece of crusty bread.

This recipe makes 12 generous servings, so I break out this recipe when my extended family is visiting or if I'm hosting friends, and I get to stock up my freezer with the leftovers. Make it on Sunday, and it will taste even better by Tuesday. Trust.

To make Tortellini Soup, you'll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning blend
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, roughly chopped with juices reserved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 4 cups chopped fresh kale
• 1 (20-ounce) bag fresh cheese tortellini
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish

Ingredient Notes

Italian Sausage - The sausage is giving plenty of flavor, so I recommend a good-quality brand for this soup. Hot Italian sausage works just as well if you want a little heat.

Stewed Tomatoes - This is where most tortellini soup recipes take a shortcut, and it shows. Stewed tomatoes are softer and richer than diced tomatoes right out of the can. Rough-chop them before adding them to the pot, and save every drop of liquid from the can. That liquid is pure flavor.

Tomato Paste - Three tablespoons of tomato paste give the broth its deep color and concentrated tomato flavor. Trust the process - don't skip or reduce it.

Vegetable Broth - Chicken broth works as a substitute if that is what you have on hand.

Fresh Kale - Kale is the right green for this soup. It holds its structure through the full cooking time, refrigerator storage, and reheating in a way that spinach simply does not. If you only plan to serve this soup immediately and have no interest in leftovers, spinach will work. For everything else, use kale.

Fresh Cheese Tortellini - Refrigerated tortellini cooks in just five minutes and has a noticeably better texture than dried. The RANA family-size bag is the one I grab and it's perfect.

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until it is golden brown with no pink remaining. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease and set aside.

Step 2: Build the Base

In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the diced carrots, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the vegetables until fully incorporated.

Step 3: Simmer the Broth

Add the vegetable broth, roughly chopped stewed tomatoes with all their liquid, the cooked sausage, and the fresh basil. Stir to combine and bring the soup to a simmer. Let it cook for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Finish the Soup

Add the chopped fresh kale and the cheese tortellini to the pot. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and cooked through. Fresh tortellini will float to the surface when it is done.

Sausage Tortellini Soup for Meal Prep

This soup was practically designed for meal prep. The broth base holds up beautifully in the refrigerator and freezer, the ingredients are inexpensive, and a single batch produces 12 servings. Here is how to get the most out of it.

Let me be clear: You can freeze this recipe as-is and it will still be delicious. But if you're meal-prepping specifically, here are some tips that can make your reheated portions even better.

Make the broth base in bulk. Cook the soup through step three and divide the broth base into individual meal prep containers before adding the kale and tortellini. Each portion reheats in about five minutes on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Keep the tortellini and kale separate. Tortellini stored in broth will absorb liquid and may become soft and bloated during storage. Store the broth base in one container. Cook your tortellini in a separate pot and store portions in a separate container. Combine them when you're ready to eat.

Stock your freezer strategically. Double the recipe, then freeze half in quart-sized freezer bags laid flat. A fully stocked freezer means a from-scratch dinner is always 15 minutes away. Label each bag with the date.

This soup is so much better with some fresh-grated Parmesan on top. And you can't go wrong dipping garlic bread or crescent roll garlic bread in the broth.

If this sausage tortellini soup earned a spot in your regular rotation, these are the next ones to try.

• Lasagna Soup — All the flavors of a classic lasagna in a rich, one-pot soup with Italian sausage, tomato broth, and melted cheese on top.
• Minestrone Soup — Hearty and vegetable-packed, with beans, pasta, and a tomato broth that's ready in an hour.
• Cheeseburger Soup — Creamy, loaded with ground beef and tender potatoes, and exactly what a cold night calls for.

Storage

In the Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The tortellini will continue to absorb broth during storage, so if you can, strain out the tortellini and keep it in a separate container until it's time to reheat.

In the Freezer: You can freeze your leftover soup for up to 3 months. Store it in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container.

Reheating: Pour the soup into a pot and bring it to a strong simmer over medium heat. If you separated them, add the tortellini directly to the hot broth and cook for five minutes. The tortellini will cook right in the soup.

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Sausage Tortellini Soup

A rich tomato broth, Italian sausage, hearty kale, and cheese-filled tortellini come together in one pot to make a soup that is as practical as it is delicious. This recipe makes 12 servings, stores beautifully, and tastes even better the next day.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 165 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning blend
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 14.5-ounce cans stewed tomatoes, roughly chopped with juices reserved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
• 4 cups chopped fresh kale
• 1 20-ounce bag fresh cheese tortellini (RANA family size recommended)
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

 

• Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat.
• Add the ground Italian sausage and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until golden brown with no pink remaining.
• Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease and set aside.
• In the same stockpot over medium-high heat, add the diced carrots, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
• Add the tomato paste and stir it into the vegetables until fully incorporated.
• Add the vegetable broth, roughly chopped stewed tomatoes with all their liquid, the cooked sausage, and the fresh basil. Stir to combine.
• Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• Add the chopped fresh kale and the cheese tortellini to the pot.
• Continue to simmer for 5 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and cooked through.
• Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed before serving.

Notes

• For the best results, use refrigerated fresh cheese tortellini rather than dried. The RANA family-size bag is the one I use.
• Rough-chop the stewed tomatoes before adding them to the pot and save every drop of liquid from the can. That liquid is pure flavor.
• If you use frozen tortellini instead of fresh, follow the cook time on the package. It may need a few extra minutes to cook through from frozen.
• To make this soup ahead, cook through step seven and refrigerate the broth base for up to three days. Add the kale and tortellini fresh when you are ready to serve.
• To freeze, prepare the soup through step seven without the kale and tortellini. Freeze the broth base for up to three months. Add fresh kale and tortellini when reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2817IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

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