This Tortellini Sausage soup is a reader favorite and one of the most popular on Our Best Bites! It’s full of flavor from Italian sausage and hearty with vegetables and tortellini. We love this soup with a simple loaf of crusty bread for dipping, but you could also serve it with a heftier grilled cheese and side salad for a more filling meal. Try this once and it will become an instant hit at your dinner table!
Ingredients Needed
- Italian Sausage – Italian sausage is usually found either in links, or in a package like ground beef. If you guys links, you’ll need to remove the sausage from the casings. You can either use a sharp knife to cut all the way down the sausage and peel the casings off, or you can snip one end with a pair of kitchen shears and squeeze it out. Make sure to check your labels, as Italian sausage comes in sweet (which is mild) and hot (spicy) versions. I prefer sweet, but if you like heat, go for the spicy version.
- Fresh garlic
- Onion
- Chicken broth
- Apple Cider – Apple cider as in unfiltered apple juice, NOT apple cider vinegar. If you can’t find apple cider, apple juice will work just fine.
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Canned tomato sauce
- Carrots
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Zucchini
- Cheese Tortellini – Fresh works well, but be sure to check the freezer section of your grocery store; if you can find it there, it will almost always be way cheaper than fresh tortellini. Also, Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini.
- Dried parsley
- Kosher salt and black pepper
How to Make Tortellini Sausage Soup
- To get started, you’re going to need about 1/2 pound of sausage or 3 links of Italian sausage, an onion, and some garlic. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and crumble the sausage into the preheated pot.
- If your sausage is pretty fatty, you’ll want to drain it when it’s about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop an onion and garlic and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.
- Add a can of diced tomatoes, a small can of tomato sauce, some apple juice (don’t forget this or leave it out because you think it’s weird–you’ll be sad if you do!), water, and a quart of chicken broth. Also add in a cup of chopped carrots and a teaspoon each of oregano, and basil.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. While that’s simmering, shred two medium zucchini, measure out two tablespoons of parsley, and round up 10 ounces of cheese tortellini. When the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, add the zucchini and parsley (NOT the tortellini). Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the tortellini and simmer for another 8-10 minutes or until the tortellini is tender.
- Serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- Freeze soup in individual portions for a quick meal on busy days.
- Tortellini sausage soup is great with these Homemade Breadsticks. If you’d like to make these, start the dough first, then prepare the first “phase” of the soup while the dough is rising. While the soup is simmering, twist the breadsticks, let them rise, and they’ll be done baking about the same time the soup is done.
- Other options for easy bread sides include homemade garlic bread using this Homemade Garlic Bread Seasoning, One-Hour Dinner Rolls, or this Easy No Knead Overnight Artisan Bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Of course! Allow the finished soup to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat small portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole batch on the stovetop.
Can I freeze this soup?
Yes! Soup in general makes a great freezer meal and this one is no different. For easy reheating, freeze individual soup pucks in silicone muffin trays or my favorite Souper Cubes, then store in a zip top bag in a freezer. Pull out as many as you need for a serving and heat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Tortellini Sausage Soup
Hearty and satisfying, this is one of our all-time favorite soups!
Servings cups
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 links Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 onion diced
- ½ cup water feel free to use broth or additional apple cider/juice here.
- 1 quart chicken broth
- ½ cup apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar
- 1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 2 zucchini, medium grated
- 8-10 ounce package cheese tortellini check the freezer section of your grocery store; if you can find it there, it will almost always be way cheaper than fresh tortellini. Also, Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini
- 2 tablespoons parsley, dried yes, that’s two tablespoons!
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- If you’re using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.
- Chop onion and add to pot with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked.
- Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, cider, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer for ½ hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
- Add the tortellini and cook until tender. Add additional salt and pepper until it tastes perfect.
- Serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.
Notes
- If you need to thin out leftovers, just add a little additional broth.
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- Freeze soup in individual portions for a quick meal on busy days.
- Tortellini sausage soup is great with these Homemade Breadsticks. If you’d like to make these, start the dough first, then prepare the first “phase” of the soup while the dough is rising. While the soup is simmering, twist the breadsticks, let them rise, and they’ll be done baking about the same time the soup is done.
- Other options for easy bread sides include homemade garlic bread using this Homemade Garlic Bread Seasoning, One-Hour Dinner Rolls, or this Easy No Knead Overnight Artisan Bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 887mg, Potassium: 351mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2779IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 2mg
Calories: 271kcal
Cost: $8
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Questions & Reviews
I popped in a parmesan rind while the soup was simmering and it gave it a really nice depth. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi there! My friend told me I HAVE to make this! LOL I was wondering about a few things…one, can you use fresh herbs? I have a ton right now. Also, I have a can of San Marzano tomatoes…could I just that and just crush/mince up the tomatoes? Thanks! Can’t wait to have this for dinner tomorrow! (just got some fresh tortellini’s from the farmers market) 😀
Staci- you DO have to make this, it’s fantastic! lol. Yes, you can definitely use fresh herbs. Just remember the ratio is 3 to 1, so you’ll want to triple the amount for fresh. Also, I’d probably wait until the last 15 minutes to add them in. And the San Marzanos would be just fine too!
I am so excited to try this! I’m going to make it for my small group Wednesday night with breadsticks, as you suggested. I have a question…I am making this for 6 adults. Should I double? 3 men, 3 women, one being pregnant. If we have leftovers, does it freeze well?
I think you’ll be fine just cooking a single batch, although you could make 1 1/2 batches if you’re nervous. Leftovers freeze well. Mmmmmm…maybe making this for dinner tonight. 🙂
YES I found chicken bouillon cubes! yay 🙂
Yum- looks so good. would beef broth work the same as a substitute for the chicken broth? I forgot to pick that up at the store… oops.
Jacy–Beef broth definitely has a stronger flavor. I’m sure it would still taste good, but it would be a very different flavor. Do you have any chicken base or chicken bouillon cubes?
This soup has fast become a go to meal in the snowy mid-west…thank you!
This was YUMMY!!!
Thanks so much!
It was loved by the whole family.
~Amy
This is a keeper! I made it tonight, and even my 17 yr old son, who claims he hates soup because it doesn't fill him up, went back for thirds, and then just couldn't eat any more.
I love, love, love this soup and have been making a slight variation of it for about 20 years. I have made it for gatherings and brought it in to work and gotten rave reviews every time. You can't lose with this soup. Comforting…
I like to serve it with garlic bread – horizontally slice a bagette, top with roasted garlic butter (roast one head of garlic and add to 1 cube of softened butter and a couple tablespoons of raw garlic) top with a sprinkle of paprika, a teeny tiny bit of garlic salt. Bake in the oven for about 20 min..
I made this last night and it was a hit at our house too! One of my daughters is a vegetarian, so I followed the recipe w/o adding the sausage & subbing veggie stock until it was time to add the tortellini. Before adding the sausage to the big dish, I dished out a serving or 2 of soup, put it in a small saucepan and then added the tortellini to both pans. My vegetarian thought it was delicious too. Thanks!