A bowl of this hearty Sausage Tortellini Soup is a satisfying meal in itself. It’s loaded with Italian flavor from cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and kale in a rich, tomato based broth. Don’t forget the Parmesan!
I love to serve this rustic soup with Homemade Cheesy Breadsticks or my super easy Cheater Garlic Bread.
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This cozy Sausage Tortellini Soup recipe came about during a crazy weather phenomenon that struck Northern California years ago. It was so intense it was called the “Storm of the Decade” and my favorite, “Stormageddon”.
As the storm approached, the build-up was incredible and even exhilarating. There would be flooding, 70mph winds, more flooding, and on and on. This news sent the masses out to clear store shelves of bottled water, flashlights, and batteries.
I stocked up on chocolate. And, I made this hearty, soul satisfying Sausage Tortellini Soup.
Soup is my cure-all. My old, dependable go-to comfort food when things get tough. I swear I could sustain myself on soups alone with maybe a piece of crusty bread thrown in every now and then.
This hearty, Italian-inspired soup is loaded with cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and kale and it will satisfy you deep down inside.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Italian sausage – I use bulk ground mild Italian sausage but you can use hot if you want a little heat. You can also use uncooked link sausage with the casings removed.
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini – Or your favorite flavor. I love Rana’s line of pasta – hands down my favorite packaged tortellini. In my store, it is in the refrigerated section near the packaged deli meats.
- Kale – Curly green kale, shown above, is readily available and a great choice. Lacinto kale (also known as Tuscan or dinosaur kale) is also really good for soups and stews. It’s darker green and isn’t as ruffled as curly kale. If you’re not a fan of kale, you can substitute baby spinach.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Olive oil
- Diced yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Canned crushed tomatoes – I highly recommend using San Marzano crushed tomatoes. These real Italian tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic which can make a big difference in the taste and quality of tomato based soups.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
How to Chop Kale for Soup
Kale leaves have a tough stem running through the middle that is best removed before you chop the leaves for your soup.
- Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board. Fold one side of the kale over the other so that stem is on one side and the leaves are on the other side.
- Use a sharp knife to slice away the tough stem and discard it.
- Then, roll up and chop the leaves as desired.
- Rinse the chopped kale in a colander or salad spinner before adding to the soup.
How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Season it with a little salt and cook until completely crumbled and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a double layer of paper towels. Pour off or wipe the excess grease from the pan.
- Add a little more oil to the pot and add the onion, garlic, kale, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion has softened and the kale is slightly wilted.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, cooked sausage, Italian seasoning, and basil. Bring the mixture to a low boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Next, stir in the tortellini and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the tortellini is tender.
- Add the Parmesan and remove from the pot from the heat.
Variations
- Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup – Add ½ cup or more of heavy cream or half and half to tone down and soften the tomato based broth for a creamy version of this soup.
- Vegetarian Sausage Tortellini Soup – Replace the Italian sausage with a plant based sausage, like Impossible brand.
- Lighten it up – Use ground turkey sausage in place of pork Italian sausage to save on fat and calories.
- Baby spinach – To use baby spinach in place of the kale, stir it in with the tortellini and cook just until wilted. Spinach is far more tender than kale and will wilt quickly when stirred into hot liquid.
Soup Storage Tips
- Refrigerator – Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat leftovers, thin out to desired consistency with a little water or additional chicken broth before warming it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freezer – Soups with cooked pasta are not great candidates for freezing since the pasta has a tendency to get mushy. Instead, omit the tortellini and ladle the cooled soup into a sealable freezer bag or other airtight freezer container and freeze for 3 to 4 months. Defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove, adding the tortellini and cooking just it’s until tender and warmed through.
More Soul Warming Soup and Stew Recipes
- Sausage and Barley Stew
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Sausage White Bean and Kale Stew
- Classic Stovetop Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Minestrone
- Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
- Chicken and Sausage Stew with White Beans and Spinach
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Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage, (or uncooked links with casings removed)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 small bunch kale (curly green or Lacinto), chopped, rinsed, and drained
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes (real Italian tomatoes) are highly recommended
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 to 10 ounces cheese tortellini, (refrigerated)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and cook until completely crumbled and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a double layer of paper towels and blot with additional paper towels to remove as much excess grease as possible. Pour off or wipe excess grease from the pan.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and place it over MEDIUM heat. Add onion, garlic, kale, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, for two or three minutes, or until the onion has softened and the kale is slightly wilted. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, cooked sausage, Italian seasoning, and basil. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil then reduce the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and stir in the tortellini. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the tortellini is tender. Stir in the Parmesan and remove from the heat.
- Garnish individual servings with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Lay a kale leaf on a cutting board. Fold one side of the kale over the other so that stem is on one side and the leaves are on the other side.
- Use a sharp knife to slice away the tough stem and discard it.
- Then, roll up and chop the leaves as desired.
- Rinse the chopped kale in a colander or salad spinner before adding to the soup.
- Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup – Add ½ cup or more of heavy cream or half and half to tone down and soften the tomato based broth for a creamy version of this soup.
- Vegetarian Sausage Tortellini Soup – Replace the Italian sausage with a plant based sausage, like Impossible brand.
- Lighten it up – Use ground turkey sausage in place of pork Italian sausage to save on fat and calories.
- Baby spinach – To use baby spinach in place of the kale, stir it in with the tortellini and cook just until wilted. Spinach is far more tender than kale and will wilt quickly when stirred into hot liquid.
- Refrigerator – Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat leftovers, thin out to desired consistency with a little water or additional chicken broth before warming it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freezer – Omit the tortellini and ladle the cooled soup into a freezer-safe plastic storage bag or other airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove, adding the tortellini and cooking just until it’s tender and warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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This post was originally published on December 11, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
We had the whole family here for Christmas and I made them this soup and it was a big hit! Thanks for yet another great recipe.
Hi, sis! I enjoyed seeing the pictures of your group. I’m happy you all enjoyed the soup. Love you!
Valerie I’m so sorry to hear about this horrible storm you’ve had to endure through and hope that you are okay. You’re right… soup is the ultimate comfort food and helps me too. I wish I had a big bowl of this right now, I’d eat it for breakfast! 🙂
Hi Amy. We’re absolutely fine and the rain was much needed. December is turning out to be an extremely wet month!
I had no idea Nor Cal was experiencing weather like that!! I lived in San Francisco for 2 1/2 years and love that area so much!! love love love soups like this. . so hearty and comforting and the photos look great!!!!
It’s been a pretty incredible storm, Alice. We are getting a little break and then more is expected on Monday and Tuesday. Thanks for the nice comments!