Tuscan Tortellini Soup (Printable)

Hearty Italian soup with cheese tortellini, sausage, spinach, and creamy tomato broth—comfort food ready 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 (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Pasta

08 - 10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
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 make it:

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 necessary.
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 becomes creamy.
06 - Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is laughably easy even on a weeknight.
  • The creaminess comes together in minutes without any fussy roux or reduction steps.
  • It tastes like you simmered it all day, but you're done in under an hour.
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors meld overnight.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the sausage if it releases a lot of grease, or your soup will have an oily slick on top that no amount of cream can hide.
  • Add the spinach at the very end so it stays bright green and doesn't turn khaki from overcooking.
  • If you're reheating leftovers, the tortellini will soak up liquid overnight, so splash in a little extra broth or cream to loosen things up.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven instead of a regular pot, the heavy bottom prevents scorching and keeps the heat steady.
  • Taste your broth before adding the tortellini, because once the pasta goes in, adjusting seasoning becomes trickier.
  • If you like a thicker soup, mash a few tortellini against the side of the pot to release their filling and thicken the broth naturally.
Go back