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Home / Recipes
45 minutes
4.72 from 25 votes
13 Comments

Easy Tortellini Soup

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  • 304
by: Joanna Cismaru
05.11.22

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This Tortellini Soup has a creamy tomato broth with enticing bites of cheese tortellini, amplified by spicy Italian sausage and a blend of fresh vegetables and spices. A quick and easy meal, made entirely in one pot. Perfect for those busy weeknights.

tortellini soup in a white bowl with a spoon in it

Nothing says comfort food more than a big bowl of pasta or soup. We have combined both of those dishes to make the ULTIMATE comfort food, tortellini soup!

Spicy Italian sausage is romanced by the bright, creamy, tomato broth and seasoned to perfection. Don’t forget the exquisite bites of cheesy tortellini – my favourite part. A blend of fabulous ingredients coming together to make one fantastic soup. Made entirely in one pot and bursting with bold Italian flavor, this soup is incredibly easy to make and sure to satisfy.

What is Tortellini?

Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta. They start off as small squares, stuffed with meat or cheese and then rolled and formed into the small ring shapes. They are sometimes referred to as “navel shaped”, hence their alternative name of “belly button.” Tortellini are an awesome item to keep on hand in your pantry as they are easy to cook and extremely versatile.

overhead shot of tortellini soup in a large dutch oven garnished with basil

Tortellini VS Tortelloni & Ravioli

Tortellini is the smaller pasta of the two, they are typically stuffed with a meat filling and are generally served in broth or cream sauce. 

Whereas, tortelloni are larger and have a milder tasting filling, typically a blend of different cheese or vegetarian filling.

Ravioli is another form of stuffed pasta. It is two layers of pasta that form a square or rectangular, pillow-like shape, and then are stuffed and formed. Whereas tortellini is folded into more of a ring shape similar to a dumpling.

overhead shot of all ingredients needed to make tortellini soup

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of full ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

  • Olive Oil – You can substitute for vegetable oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil or avocado oil.
  • Sausage – I used mild Italian sausage, casings removed. Sometimes you can find Italian sausage in your grocery stores with the casings already removed.
  • Veggies – Onion, carrots and celery, a must for any soup.
  • Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
  • Italian Seasoning – Made up of oregano, rosemary, thyme and basil. If you don’t have Italian seasoning you can use a mix of any of the above.
  • Salt and Pepper – To taste.
  • Flour – I used all purpose to thicken the soup, this is totally optional.
  • Broth – I used a no sodium added chicken broth but vegetable broth will work as well.
  • Tomatoes – I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes for a nice smoky flavor.
  • Tomato Passata – Passata is a tomato purée – thick liquid made by cooking and straining tomatoes. I used a jar of store bought. Feel free to make your own at home!
  • Tortellini – I used cheese tortellini, you can use your favourite!
  • Half and Half – You can replace half and half with a combination of milk and butter. One cup of half and half can be substituted with one tablespoon of melted butter plus enough milk to equal one cup, for example.
  • Spinach – Fresh, chopped.
process shots showing how to make tortellini soup

How To Make Tortellini Soup

  1. Cook Sausage and Vegetables – Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small pieces. Add the onion, carrot, celery to the skillet and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.
  2. Season – Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the pot and stir. Cook for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant, stirring to prevent it from burning.
  3. Make the Base – Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Gradually add in the chicken broth, then add the fire roasted tomatoes and tomato passata. Continue cooking until soup comes to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Finish – Stir in the cheese tortellini and half and half. Cook until the tortellini is al dente. Stir in the spinach and cook for a couple more minutes.
  5. Garnish and Serve – Garnish with parmesan cheese, basil and serve.
tortellini soup in a dutch oven with a ladle in it

How to Serve

I served my tortellini soup hot with a side of warm, crusty bread. Paired with a garlic bread, garlic cheese bread or even a grilled cheese for dunking would be incredible! You can also add more ingredients into your soup to amplify the flavors – try these!

  • Roasted red peppers
  • Marinated artichoke hearts
  • Beans
  • Olives
  • Cured Meat
  • Cubes of cheese.

However you serve this dish, it is sure to give you that true Italian comfort food feel.

overhead shot of tortellini soup in a small white bowl

Can I make this in advance?

You can! Stop cooking the soup before adding in the tortellini. Adding in the tortellini before freezing can cause your pasta to come out mushy. Completely cool your soup and place in a freezer bag or container. Make sure it is sealed tightly before freezing. At a later date, thaw your soup in the fridge and then reheat on the stove top and continue on to steps 4 and 5.

Leftovers

Store your leftover tortellini soup in an airtight container in the fridge. This will allow your leftovers to keep for 3-5 days.

See above for freezing notes. Stored in an airtight shallow container, this dish will last 3-4 months in the freezer.

To reheat your leftover tortellini soup, pop it in the microwave or back on the stove top until heated through.

tortellini soup in a white bowl garnished with parmesan cheese

Did You Like This Recipe? Try These!

  • Italian Meatball Soup
  • Lemon Rice and Chicken Soup
  • Minestrone Soup
  • Cheesy Beef Tortellini Enchilada Casserole
  • Egg Roll Soup
  • Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Easy Lentil Soup
  • Italian Wedding Soup
  • Easy Hamburger Soup
  • Sausage and Bean Soup

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side view shot of tortellini soup in a bowl with a spoon in it

Easy Tortellini Soup

4.72 from 25 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 45 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 8
Print Pin Rate
This Tortellini Soup has a creamy tomato broth with enticing bites of cheese tortellini, amplified by spicy Italian sausage and a blend of fresh vegetables and spices. A quick and easy meal, made entirely in one pot. Perfect for those busy weeknights.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 14.5 ounce fire roasted tomatoes
  • 2 cups tomato passata
  • 14 ounce cheese tortellini
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage (casings removed) and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small pieces, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the onion, carrot, celery to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to the pot and stir. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant, stirring to prevent it from burning.
  • Sprinkle the flour over everything and stir. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Gradually add in the chicken broth, then add the fire roasted tomatoes and tomato passata. Continue cooking until the soup comes a boil then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the cheese tortellini and half and half. Cook for 10 more minutes or until the tortellini is al dente. Stir in the spinach and cook for a couple more minutes.
  • Garnish with parmesan cheese, basil and serve.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Store your leftover tortellini soup in an airtight container in the fridge. This will allow your leftovers to keep for 3-5 days.
  2. To reheat your leftover soup, pop it in the microwave or back on the stove top until heated through.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 534kcal (27%)Carbohydrates: 40g (13%)Protein: 23g (46%)Fat: 32g (49%)Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)Cholesterol: 84mg (28%)Sodium: 1175mg (51%)Potassium: 657mg (19%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 7g (8%)Vitamin A: 2231IU (45%)Vitamin C: 11mg (13%)Calcium: 213mg (21%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Course:Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine:American, Italian
Keyword:tortellini soup
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 304

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Kim C. says

    January 29, 2022 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    Just getting through a blizzard here in the northeast… This soup was just the thing to warm you up!! I did not change one thing!! To complete the meal? I made cornbread to compliment AND I have leftovers!! Delicious!!

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      January 29, 2022 at 6:24 pm

      Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  2. Grace says

    November 12, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    Another AHaAmazing recipe!! So good

    Reply
  3. Susie the Swede says

    April 6, 2021 at 4:31 am

    5 stars
    Made a similar version with this as a base and it was delicious, really loved the idea and versatility of the recipe. Found peccorino & pesto sausages so that worked really well. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team AMJ says

      April 6, 2021 at 9:12 am

      That’s wonderful! SO glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  4. Lisa Hunt says

    January 19, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    5 stars
    Another excellent recipe! It was really tasty. My husband came back for seconds. I will definitely be making this again.

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      January 19, 2021 at 2:32 pm

      Love to hear it!!

      Reply
  5. Micki says

    April 6, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    This was insanely, restaurant-quality good. My husband said it’s one of the best thing he has ever eaten. I followed the recipe pretty closely except added only 3/4 cup of half and half because that’s what I had and it was perfect. I wouldn’t actually add more in the future. I also used the Rotel fire-roasted tomatoes with chilies and they added amazing heat to the soup. Will definitely make again!!!

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      April 7, 2020 at 9:57 am

      Wow, thank you so much Micki! The fire roasted tomatoes are a game change 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Soleil Noor says

    February 29, 2020 at 7:57 am

    Jo, if you have the meat from the sausage and also the cheese tortellini, I really dont think the half and half is necessary, or garnishing with more parmesan….but that’s just me.

    I make a minestrone with LOTS of vegetables, add a can of red kidney beans and then a bag of spinach and cheese tortellini. Its perfect and not heavy at all.

    Reply
    • jo says

      February 29, 2020 at 9:23 am

      The half and half will just add some creaminess to the soup, but yes, you can omit if if you wish.

      Reply
  7. Genie Burns says

    February 26, 2020 at 11:12 am

    Could you substitute a good quality tomato sauce for the Passata? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a store near me.

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team 2 says

      February 26, 2020 at 11:32 am

      Certainly!

      Reply

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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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