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Tomato Tortellini Soup

Tomato tortellini soup with cheese tortellini simmered until just tender in a creamy crushed-tomato broth. Italian sausage, sautéed onion and garlic, and wilted spinach make it hearty without being heavy.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheese tortellini
  • 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
Italian sausage base
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
Vegetables and aromatics
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
Soup and seasoning
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.25 Parmesan and fresh basil for serving
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the sausage
  1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large pot, then drain the fat.
  2. Keep the sausage in the pot so you can build the soup directly on the drippings-free base.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes, then add the minced garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.
  2. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
Simmer the tomato broth
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, maintain a steady simmer as you add the tortellini.
Cook tortellini
  1. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini and cook for 4-5 minutes, until just tender.
Finish with cream and spinach
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and baby spinach, then cook for 2-3 minutes until the spinach wilts.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve topped with parmesan and fresh basil.

Notes

Pro tip: Add tortellini after the soup reaches a full boil so they cook evenly; if it thickens, loosen with a splash of broth. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; the tortellini may soften further, but it’s still tasty. Freezing is not recommended because the tortellini texture can turn grainy after thawing. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter, still creamy result.