Parmesan Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

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Parmesan Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yields: 6 servings

Estimated Nutrition (per serving, based on 6 servings):

  • Calories: 480
  • Protein: 21g
  • Fat: 32g
  • Saturated Fat: 15g
  • Carbohydrates: 25g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Sugars: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 85mg
  • Sodium: 1020mg
  • Calcium: 250mg
  • Iron: 2.5mg
A bowl of creamy tortellini soup with sausage, kale, and tomatoes. A spoon is lifted, showing the soup’s ingredients.

How To Make Parmesan Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Ingredients for a soup recipe arranged on a marble surface, including sausage, tortellini, broth, spinach, tomato sauce, milk, onions, garlic, cheese, and seasonings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (only if sausage is lean)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 (9 oz) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 3 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter version)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
A pot of creamy tortellini soup with herbs and greens, seen from above on a marble countertop.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Brown the Sausage:

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks.

  • A large gray pot with raw sausage pieces inside sits on a marble countertop, next to a bowl of tortellini and a bowl of leafy greens.
  • Cooked ground sausage in a large gray pot on a marble countertop, with bowls of fresh parsley and uncooked tortellini nearby.

Drain excess grease if needed.

2. Sauté Aromatics:

Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft.

  • A bowl of chopped onions is being added to a pot with cooked ground meat. Bowls of tortellini and greens are visible in the background on a marble surface.
  • A pot on a marble countertop contains cooked ground meat and chopped onions. Nearby are bowls of fresh tortellini and chopped greens.
  • A pot with cooked ground sausage and onions, with bowls of raw tortellini and chopped kale on a marble countertop.

Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 1 more minute.

  • A glass bowl of minced garlic is held above a pot containing cooked ground meat; uncooked tortellini and chopped greens are in bowls nearby.
  • A pot with browned ground meat and chopped garlic, with bowls of fresh spinach and uncooked tortellini on the side, on a marble countertop.
  • A bowl of spices is held over a pot containing cooked ground meat and onions, with bowls of uncooked tortellini and greens visible in the background.
  • A pot with cooked ground meat, chopped onions, and seasonings. Nearby are bowls of fresh spinach and uncooked tortellini on a marble countertop.
  • A pot with cooked ground meat and onions sits on a marble countertop next to bowls of fresh spinach and uncooked tortellini pasta.

3. Add Broth & Tomatoes:

Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juice.

  • Broth is being poured into a pan with cooked ground meat, with bowls of fresh kale and uncooked tortellini nearby on a marble surface.
  • A pot of broth with cooked sausage sits on a marble surface, with bowls of fresh kale and uncooked tortellini placed nearby.
  • A bowl of diced tomatoes is about to be added to a pot of soup on a marble countertop, with uncooked tortellini and greens in bowls nearby.
  • A pot containing broth, seasonings, and diced tomatoes sits on a marble counter, with bowls of fresh kale and uncooked tortellini nearby.
  • A pot of tomato-based soup with visible vegetables sits on a marble surface. Nearby are bowls of uncooked tortellini and chopped greens.

Bring to a boil.

A pot of tomato-based soup simmers on a marble countertop, with bowls of fresh kale and tortellini nearby.

4. Add Tortellini & Kale:

Stir in tortellini and chopped kale.

  • A bowl of uncooked tortellini is being held above a pot of tomato-based soup, with a bowl of leafy greens in the background on a marble countertop.
  • A pot of tomato-based soup with tortellini pieces, next to a bowl of fresh leafy greens, sits on a white marble surface.
  • A pot of soup with tortellini, tomato broth, and fresh kale, with a small glass bowl of additional kale nearby on a marble countertop.
  • A large pot filled with tortellini soup containing pasta, sausage, tomatoes, and greens sits on a marble surface. A small bowl of fresh parsley is placed nearby.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 5-7 minutes, or until tortellini is tender and kale is wilted.

5. Make It Creamy:

Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

  • A hand pours cream into a pot of tortellini soup with greens on a marble countertop; a bowl of chopped kale sits nearby.
  • A pot of tortellini soup with tomato broth and greens sits on a marble surface; a small bowl of fresh greens is placed nearby.
  • A hand holds a bowl of grated cheese above a pot of tortellini soup on a marble countertop, with a bowl of leafy greens nearby.
  • A large pot filled with tortellini soup, tomato broth, greens, and a topping of grated cheese sits on a marble surface; a bowl of fresh kale is nearby.
  • A pot of creamy tortellini soup with herbs and spinach sits on a marble countertop.

Simmer another 2–3 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.

A pot filled with creamy tomato-based tortellini soup, with pieces of spinach and herbs visible in the broth.

6. Serve:

Serve hot with crusty bread or garlic toast.

A white pot filled with creamy tomato tortellini soup with greens, placed on a marble surface next to kale and a small dish of grated cheese.
A ladle lifts creamy tortellini soup with tomatoes, spinach, and herbs from a white pot on a marble surface.

FAQ:

Q: Can I use frozen tortellini instead of refrigerated?

A: Yes, just adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions —usually 2–3 minutes longer.

Q: What can I use instead of kale?

A: Baby spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole are great substitutes.

Add spinach in the last 1–2 minutes of cooking.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes, but for best texture, cook and store the tortellini separately and add it when reheating.

Q: Can I freeze this soup?

A: Cream-based soups don’t freeze well as the texture can change, but you can freeze the soup before adding the cream and tortellini.

Add them fresh when reheating.

Two white bowls of creamy tortellini soup with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes on a marble surface, next to a bowl of grated cheese, fresh kale, and metal spoons.
Close-up of a creamy tomato-based soup with tortellini, spinach, and herbs in a white bowl.

Parmesan Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Print Recipe
A bowl of creamy soup with tortellini, ground sausage, kale, and tomatoes, with a spoon resting inside.
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:25 minutes
Total Time:35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sausage mild or spicy, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil only if sausage is lean
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for heat
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 (9 oz) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
  • 3 cups chopped kale tough stems removed
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for lighter version
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Brown the Sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
  • Sauté Aromatics: Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; cook 1 more minute.
  • Add Broth & Tomatoes: Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a boil.
  • Add Tortellini & Kale: Stir in tortellini and chopped kale. Reduce heat and simmer for about 57 minutes, or until tortellini is tender and kale is wilted.
  • Make It Creamy: Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer another 2–3 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened.
  • Serve: Serve hot with crusty bread or garlic toast.

Notes

Q: Can I use frozen tortellini instead of refrigerated?

A: Yes, just adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions—usually 2–3 minutes longer.

Q: What can I use instead of kale?

A: Baby spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole are great substitutes. Add spinach in the last 1–2 minutes of cooking.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes, but for best texture, cook and store the tortellini separately and add it when reheating.

Q: Can I freeze this soup?

A: Cream-based soups don’t freeze well as the texture can change, but you can freeze the soup before adding the cream and tortellini. Add them fresh when reheating.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 480kcal
A bowl of creamy soup with tortellini, ground meat, kale, and tomatoes, served with a spoon; another bowl and a small dish of grated cheese are nearby.
A ladle serving creamy soup with tortellini, sausage, kale, and herbs into a white bowl, with grated cheese in a small glass dish nearby.

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