How to Prepare Creamy Tortellini Soup

This Rich Tortellini Soup recipe is warm, delightful, and features tender cheese tortellini, fresh vegetables, herbs, and a creamy, indulgent broth. It’s the ideal one-pot dish that is both tasty and fulfilling!

Oh, how I adore soup season, and what better way to savor this time than with a warm bowl of Rich Tortellini Soup! Tender cheesy tortellini, sautéed veggies, and Italian herbs simmering in a delicious broth make this soup a beloved staple in our household. Although this hearty soup feels luxurious, it is incredibly simple to prepare. We enjoy pairing it with a crisp salad and some crunchy garlic bread, yum! The perfect addition to your regular menu.

Why You’ll Adore This

• Fast and simple – this rich tortellini soup can be ready in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for jam-packed weeknights.
• Heartwarming and substantial – the ultimate comfort dish abundant in tender tortellini and a creamy broth for a cozy evening meal.
• Family-approved – Even the fussiest eaters will appreciate this decadent, creamy soup! Feel free to sneak in extra vegetables too.
• Adjustable – you can effortlessly modify the protein, swap the vegetables, or make this soup dairy-free if necessary.

Ingredients Required

• turkey sausage – this contributes a lot of flavor, but feel free to use lean ground turkey, ground chicken, ground beef, chicken sausage, hot Italian sausage, or pork sausage.
• tortellini – I used three cheese-filled tortellini, but any variety will work well in this soup or you may simply use regular pasta. Just look for fresh tortellini in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
• cannellini beans – these help to make this soup hearty, but any variety of white beans will work too.
• tomatoes – you’ll require a can of diced tomatoes with their liquid along with some tomato paste, but tomato sauce would work nicely as well.
• chicken broth – I used low sodium chicken broth, but you may also opt for chicken stock, vegetable broth, veggie stock, or beef broth.
• half and half – this adds richness, smoothness, and extreme creaminess while being a lighter alternative to heavy cream, but if you don’t have half and half, you can use full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream instead.
• fresh vegetables – I used a mix of chopped yellow onion, celery, and carrots along with some freshly chopped kale and fresh basil. Other choices include mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, and baby spinach.
• garlic – minced garlic cloves truly enhance the flavor and are a must in this soup!
• seasonings – I used Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, but you can also incorporate a blend of dried thyme, dried oregano, and dried rosemary. If you enjoy a bit of heat and spice in your soup, feel free to add some red pepper flakes!

Instructions for Making Tortellini Soup

1. Brown sausage and sauté veggies. In a large pot or dutch oven, drizzle a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the sausage until it is browned and crumbled. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the seasonings. Next, incorporate the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
3. Let the soup simmer. Mix in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and white beans, stirring to combine, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Finish the soup. Pour in one cup of cream, mixing until fully incorporated, then introduce the tortellini and kale, cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the tortellini is tender and begins to float to the surface.
5. Serve and savor! Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley. Don’t forget the crusty bread!

Can I Prepare This in the Slow Cooker?

Definitely! Here’s how you can quickly make this rich tortellini soup right in your slow cooker for those hectic weeknights.

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage and transfer it to your crock pot along with the remaining ingredients, except for the half and half, tortellini, and kale. You’ll add these later.
2. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the half and half, tortellini, and fresh kale, cover, and continue cooking.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and a side salad.

Variations

• Change up protein – instead of ground turkey sausage, you can use cooked Italian sausage, shredded chicken, ground beef, shrimp, or replace beans for added protein.
• Extra veggies – feel free to incorporate even more vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, fresh spinach, swiss chard, or sun-dried tomatoes.
• Make it creamy – you can also achieve creaminess in this soup by using coconut cream, cream cheese, or mixing in a dollop of sour cream just before serving.
• Dairy-free option – use coconut milk or a plant-based creamer instead of the half and half or heavy cream.
• Gluten-free option – you can also substitute gluten-free tortellini if you need a GF choice.

Prep and Storage

To Store: Leftovers will remain in your refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days, but are best enjoyed within the first few days. Please keep in mind that the tortellini will absorb the soup the longer it sits in the fridge, so you may need to add a little splash of broth to the leftover soup before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.

To Freeze: Cream-based soups don’t freeze well, so if you intend to freeze, prepare the soup without the cream and the tortellini, then add them fresh when re-heating. This soup can be stored in the freezer for up to a month in sealed, freezer-safe containers.

More Nutritious Soup Recipes

Hope you all relish this Easy Tortellini Soup recipe! If you enjoy it as much as we do, please give me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I adore seeing all your delicious recreations!