Tuscan Tortellini Soup (Printable)

A hearty, creamy soup with cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, fresh spinach, and rich tomato broth. Perfect comfort food in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Broth & Dairy

05 - 3⅓ cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Pasta

08 - 10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme mix)
10 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing Touches

12 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving
13 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart with a spoon until browned and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir in the Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle boil.
04 - Lower the heat and add the tortellini. Simmer according to package instructions, usually 4-6 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream and spinach. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and the soup reaches a creamy consistency.
06 - Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy your meal.
  • The creamy tomato broth clings to every piece of tortellini in a way that makes you want to soak up every last drop with bread.
  • It tastes like you simmered it all day, but really you were only in the kitchen for forty minutes.
  • Leftovers somehow get better overnight as the flavors settle and deepen in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the sausage if it releases a lot of fat, or your soup will have an oily slick on top that nothing can fix.
  • Add the spinach at the very end or it turns olive green and sad instead of bright and fresh.
  • If you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or cream because the tortellini soak up liquid as they sit.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before you add salt, the sausage and Parmesan are already salty and you don't want to overdo it.
  • If the soup feels too thick after sitting, thin it out with a little extra broth or even a splash of white wine for depth.
  • Use a good quality tortellini, the cheap ones fall apart and turn the soup starchy instead of silky.
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