Creamy Tortellini Soup Recipe

This creamy tortellini soup is packed with tender tortellini pasta, fresh kale, and Italian sausage. If you enjoyed Zuppa Toscana, you will love this! Italian tortellini soup is super flavorful, made in just 30 minutes, and will warm you up.

As the crisp fall air rolls in, we have soups on our regular rotation like Creamy Tomato Soup, and Chicken Noodle Soup. This tortellini soup is hearty, satisfying, and healthy at the same time.

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Italian Creamy Tortellini Soup

This soup uses simple pantry and refrigerator staple ingredients so it is perfect for busy weeknight dinners or as a starter for an Italian feast paired with Focaccia Bread. It’s also a great option for when you’re having an intense pasta craving but don’t want to fill up on a heavy serving of carbs. The creamy broth and tortellini taste so decadent but are light enough that you won’t feel like you need to take a nap after having a bowl.

Ingredients 

• Italian Sausage – try mild Italian sausage or a spicy sausage to add some heat
• Garlic – add the garlic to taste, but use fresh garlic versus garlic powder
• Onion – we prefer yellow onion for caramelized sweet flavor but you can use white or red onion instead.
• Salt – add salt to taste since sausage is naturally fairly salty
• Chicken broth – use homemade Bone Broth for the best flavor or any store-bought variety.
• Tomato sauce – we used plain canned tomato sauce
• Cheese tortellini – found in the refrigerated or frozen aisle at most grocery stores. Trader Joe’s and Costco both have awesome tortellini
• Kale – You can use fresh or pop a bag of frozen straight into the broth for a quick shortcut
• Heavy cream – Full-fat, heavy cream gives this soup its signature texture. Refrain from using milk, as it won’t make the broth as creamy and is prone to curdling. 

How to Make Tortellini Soup

You can make homemade tortellini soup with 10 ingredients and 30 minutes. Here’s a quick overview of the recipe before you dive in: 

1. Cook sausage – In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, brown the sausage. 
2. Add onion and garlic – sautee onion until soft then press in garlic and season lightly with salt.
3. Pour in broth & tomato sauce and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes. 
4. Add tortellini and lightly boil 5 minutes until cooked through.
5. Stir in kale and cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the kale is softened. Season to taste.

Helpful Tips

• Adjust the salt. Depending on the broth and tomato sauce you use, you might want to add more or less salt. If you’re not sure, refrain from adding any extra salt until the soup is finished.
• Like a spicier soup? Add in a dash of red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper. 
• Try different tortellini. You can change the soup up with different tortellini varieties including meat stuffed, spinach stuffed, and more. 
• Don’t overcook the tortellini. Overcooking tortellini can make it mushy. Make sure to have your kale and heavy cream prepped and ready to add immediately after the tortellini is cooked. 

Make-Ahead

• Refrigerating – Once the soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days. It’s important to note that as the soup sits in the fridge, the tortellini tends to absorb the broth. You can remedy this by adding extra broth to the soup as you reheat to thin it out. 
• Reheating – You can reheat tortellini soup in a saucepan over medium heat or by popping it in the microwave for a couple of minutes until warmed through. 

Serve With

In terms of garnishes, this Italian Tortellini Soup is delicious with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. For a well-rounded lunch or dinner, serve the soup with bread, sandwiches, or a fresh salad.

• Focaccia Bread
• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Cheesy Garlic Bread
• Parmesan Garlic Flatbread
• Easy Baguette