Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup
When the weather starts to cool down, this Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup is the ultimate weeknight dinner. It combines the hearty, savory flavors of Italian sausage with the luxurious richness of heavy cream and plump, cheesy tortellini. Best of all? You only need one pot and about 30 minutes from start to finish!
Love this? You should also try our Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!
The Secret to Perfect Tortellini
The biggest mistake you can make with tortellini soup is overcooking the pasta. Fresh refrigerated tortellini cooks incredibly fast—often in just 3 minutes. Always add the tortellini right at the end of the cooking process. If you plan to have leftovers, you might even consider boiling the tortellini separately and adding it to individual bowls, otherwise it will continue to soak up the broth in the fridge and become mushy.
Variations and Substitutions
This soup is wonderfully adaptable. If you want to make it vegetarian, skip the sausage, use vegetable broth, and add some cannellini beans or sliced mushrooms for heartiness. For a lighter version, you can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though the broth won’t be quite as thick and velvety.
Ingredients
Method
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and the undrained diced tomatoes. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- Stir in the fresh cheese tortellini and boil for exactly the time indicated on the package (usually about 3-4 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and fresh spinach, letting it simmer for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.