Tuscan Tortellini Soup (Print Version)

A hearty Italian soup with cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, spinach, and creamy tomato broth. Comforting and 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 blend
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

# Directions:

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, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
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 to 6 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream and spinach. Simmer for 2 to 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.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours on it, but you're done in under 40 minutes start to finish.
  • The creamy tomato broth clings to every bite of tortellini and makes the spinach taste like it belongs there.
  • You can swap the sausage, skip the cream, or add more veggies and it still works every time.
02 -
  • Don't add the spinach too early or it turns army green and sad, wait until the very end so it stays bright.
  • If your tortellini package says cook for seven minutes, start checking at five, they finish cooking in the hot broth even after you turn off the heat.
  • Drain the sausage fat only if there's a lot, a little bit adds richness and helps the flavors stick to the pasta.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven if you have one, it holds heat evenly and makes the soup taste even better.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of using the pre grated stuff, it melts into the soup instead of clumping up and the flavor is ten times better.
  • If you like it extra creamy, stir in another quarter cup of cream at the end, no one will judge you.
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