Creamy Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach, Carrots, and Bacon Bits is the ultimate Autumn and Winter comfort food that can be made year-round. This quick and easy restaurant-quality dish is packed with veggies and is made in just 30 minutes in one pot. Pair it with a slice of crusty bread and a simple salad for a complete meal. Your whole family will love this comfort food.
30-Minute One-Pot Soup
This cozy and comforting soup is packed with Italian flavors and is one of my favorite dinners! It's the best soup for Fall and Winter when the nights get cold and you're craving something warm and cozy without having to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. Everything is cooked in 30 minutes in one saucepan: Italian sausage, vegetables, and cheese-filled tortellini which allows you to blend all the flavors together in a perfect combination. No need to precook the veggies or tortellini - they will cook right in the broth retaining all the flavor in the soup. In the end, there is only one pan to clean. What's not to like? Italian sausage tortellini soup is a perfect recipe to make on a busy weeknight or for company. Try this recipe during a cozy season and it might become a new family favorite!
Why you'll love it
- Quick and easy. This one-pot meal takes only 30 minutes to make and requires only one saucepan. The cleanup is minimal which makes it a perfect dinner for busy weeknights or for company. This way you spend more time with your family and friends rather than in the kitchen!
- Meal-prep-friendly. You can easily make this soup up to 4 days in advance. For best results, add tortellini and cream right before serving - everything else can be cooked beforehand.
- Tortellini and sausage are a winning combo. When you combine cheese-stuffed pasta and spicy Italian sausage in a recipe, it's always a hit, never a miss. If you like this combination, you'll love Creamy Sausage Tortellini with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella cheese sauce.
- Comfort food. This creamy Italian sausage tortellini soup is perfect to make through the Fall and Winter months when the nights are cold and you need cozy comfort food to warm you up.
Main ingredients
- Sausage. I used spicy Italian ground sausage which adds lots of savory flavors and a bit of heat to the soup. You can use sausage in casings - just remove the casing before cooking and crumbling the sausage.
- Tortellini. I used cheese tortellini, you can also use agnolotti or ravioli instead. Gnocchi is also a great substitution.
- Carrots. I used 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins.
- Spinach is added right at the end until it wilts.
- Italian seasoning combines just the right dried herbs and is perfect for seasoning the Italian sausage tortellini soup. You can also use Herbs de Provance.
- Garlic is cooked in broth to create flavor along with carrots and Italian sausage. I used 4 cloves of freshly minced garlic, but you can easily use even more!
- Broth or water. I use 5 cups of broth in this recipe. You can use water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.
- Heavy cream. 1 cup of heavy cream is added right at the end to add creaminess to the soup. You can also use half-and-half, whole milk, or dairy-free unsweetened coconut milk.
- Bacon bits. Use bacon bits or chopped cooked bacon. Or, crispy up the prosciutto in the oven for about 10 minutes, chop it up, then sprinkle it over the soup!
How to make sausage tortellini soup
Here is a quick overview of the recipe. For more details, scroll down to the recipe card.
1) Cook sausage. First, you will add spicy Italian ground sausage together with Italian seasoning, chopped onion, and minced garlic to a large saucepan and cook until browned.
2) Add broth and veggies. Then you will add chicken broth, diced carrots, and red pepper flakes, and simmer everything for about 10 minutes until the carrots are tender.
3) Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about 5 minutes until the tortellini is cooked and the spinach is wilted.
4) Stir in the cream after you removed the soup from the heat. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.
5) Toppings. Top with bacon bits (or cooked chopped bacon or cooked Prosciutto), grated parmesan cheese (optional), and fresh thyme.
Variations and substitutions
- Sausage. I used crumbled spicy Italian ground sausage. You can use mild or sweet Italian sausage. Or, use regular or spicy pork sausage (such as the Jimmy Dean brand). You can use sausage in casings - remove the casings and crumble the sausage as you cook.
- Greens. This sausage tortellini soup will work equally well with spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.
- Pasta. If you don't have tortellini, you can use Agnolotti or ravioli instead. Gnocchi is also a great substitution. Or, use short-shaped pasta, such as bow tie, fusilli, penne, or orecchiette.
- Broth or water. Use water, chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Cream. You can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream. Or, use dairy-free unsweetened coconut cream/milk.
Cooking tips
- Can you make it meatless? Yes, use plant-based sausage, such as the Beyond Sausage brand. Or, simply use mushrooms instead of regular sausage. I recommend portobello as they have a rich, deep, and almost "meaty flavor".
- Make it spicier. Italian sausage tortellini will taste even better with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Toppings. When serving, top the soup with grated cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or Asiago), fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, or cracked black pepper.
How to make it gluten-free
Because the sausage tortellini soup is made entirely from scratch, it's easy to adjust it and make it gluten-free. Omit the tortellini and use short-shaped gluten-free pasta, such as farfalle (bow-tie pasta), fusilli (spiral pasta), penne, or orecchiette. You can also use gluten-free ravioli.
How to make it dairy free
Replace the tortellini (because tortellini usually has cheese and other milk products) with dairy-free gluten-free pasta. I recommend short pasta, such as bow-tie, penne, fusilli, or orecchiette. And omit the heavy cream and use unsweetened coconut milk (or cream) instead. Also, don't use Parmesan cheese as a topping.
Can you make it ahead?
This soup is perfect for meal prep. It keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days. Here are some tips on how to make it ahead:
- Heavy cream. Prepare everything, except adding the heavy cream in the last step. Refrigerate the soup and add heavy cream only when ready to serve, when the soup is warmed up or hot, and removed from heat (to prevent the cream from separating).
- Tortellini. For best results, you can also add tortellini right before serving.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate. Store leftover Italian sausage tortellini soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, separate tortellini from the soup and refrigerate them separately to preserve their texture. However, you can keep tortellini in the soup, too, it's not a deal-breaker.
- Reheat. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop in a large enough saucepan over medium heat, stirring halfway through. Add a small amount of extra milk or heavy cream to add creaminess.
What to serve with it
Serve sausage tortellini soup with a slice of crusty bread and a simple green salad. Here are some of my favorites:
- Arugula Salad with Apples, Cranberries, Pecans, and Balsamic Dressing
- Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese and Lemon-Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
- Autumn Salad with Arugula, roasted Butternut Squash, dried Figs, toasted sliced Almonds, and Pomegranate Seeds.
- Simple Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese
- Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, and Cashews
Other soup recipes you might like
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms and Sweet Potatoes
- Chicken and Spinach Soup with Beans and Vegetables (Spinach, Tomatoes, Carrots, Bell Peppers)
- Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
- Black Bean Butternut Squash Soup
- Carrot and Lentil Soup with Toasted Almonds
- Creamy Shiitake Mushroom Soup
30-Minute One-Pot Creamy Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound spicy Italian ground sausage
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 yellow onion small, diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 5 cups chicken broth or water
- 3 carrots medium, diced into ½-inch coins
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 oz cheese tortellini
- 4 oz fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup bacon bits or chopped cooked bacon or cooked prosciutto
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, cook sausage together with Italian seasoning, chopped onion, and minced garlic until browned.
- Add chicken broth, diced carrots, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, reduce it to simmer (a visible boil), cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 10 or 15 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Add tortellini and spinach to soup in the pot, cover with a lid and boil on low simmer for about 5 minutes or until tortellini is cooked and the spinach is wilted
- Remove the soup from the heat. Add the cream and stir it in.
- Season with salt and more red pepper flakes (add spice especially if you did not use spicy sausage).
- Top with bacon bits (or chopped cooked bacon), grated parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme.
Notes
- Use prosciutto as a topping. This recipe works great with cooked prosciutto! Cook prosciutto in the preheated oven at 375 F for about 10 minutes until crispy. Chop it up - and it will look like fine bacon bits! Sprinkle over the soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made this tonight with a few modifications... I used Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage and Turkey Bacon. I also used Cashew Milk instead of cream. The Cashew milk has a thicker consistency, not as thick as cream, but still pretty good. It was delish, thank you, Julia!
Linda, thank you so much for sharing your delicious changes! That is so helpful to me and other readers who might want to try the same!
Another hit recipe in our house! Everyone loved this and the dish was pretty simple and inexpensive. I'll be making this again. -Thanks!!
Karie, I am so glad everyone loved this soup!! 🙂
This was amazing!! Hubby and I both agreed to the 5 star rating! Leftovers the next day were just as delicious. Thank you for sharing. I have been going over so many of your recipes and can't wait to try them!!
Thank you, Sharon, so glad you enjoyed this soup!! I hope you try some of my other recipes and love them, as well! 🙂
Made this for first time today and loved it. I used Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Very tasteful and filling on a cold winter’s day. Freezing left overs so hopefully it will be good second time around!
Donna, so glad you loved this soup! Thank you for sharing your feedback about using Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Glad it worked well!
In the middle of a winter snow storm in Michigan and this was the perfect dinner to eat as the snow and temps drop outside. Absolutely amazing. Something I will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing!
Katie, you are very welcome! So glad this soup kept you warm during the blizzard! ❤️❤️
Julia, I just wanted to let you know that I shared this outstandingly delicious recipe with my son and my sister. I’m definitely looking forward to trying many more of your recipes.
Catherine, I am so glad your family loved this dish - thank you for your wonderful feedback! I hope you enjoy my other recipes as much as this one. 🙂
Hi Julia! I made this recipe for dinner tonight. It tasted like a soup you would be served in an up market restaurant. So easy and scrumptious! Thank you
Catherine, your comment made my day - thank you! ❤️ Happy Thanksgiving! ❤️
For Thanksgiving dinner today with my family I made your Sausage stuffed spaghetti squash. Everybody loved it! Your suggestion to score the squash and make long piercings and cook to soften it was a great tip. Made my job so much easier!! Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your family!
Catherine, thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback! ❤️ Glad you loved the spaghetti squash recipe and that you found my little tips helpful! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you! ❤️
Made this soup and it was excellent. Bonus is its easy to make. Served with garlic bread. Will definitely make this one again.
Deanna, I am so glad you enjoyed this! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share this positive comment and Happy Holidays! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Can I ask does this soup minus the tortellini be frozen well?
Karen, yes, this soup freezes well!
Made this for the seniors at my senior center today and they absolutely loved it! Most of them said they want me to make it again. Great soup for a cold day and it’s pretty healthy!! Definitely trying some more of your recipes.
Gabriella, your comment makes me really happy. I am so glad the seniors at the senior center loved this soup. And how caring and wonderful of you to take such good care of them. 🙂
I made this today! It's really flavorful and filling. Because it's got tortellini, you can just forego the bread. I sprinkled some Pecorino Romano on top. It is definitely a keeper.
Kelly, thanks for trying this recipe, and glad you loved it! Pecorino Romano cheese on ton is a nice touch!
I make something like this (but with kale) all the time but never added bacon. It's a good use for my bacon bits other than in a salad! Thank you for sharing - it's delicious!
Heather, this soup is delicious with either bacon or toasted prosciutto. Enjoy!
This is a must-try. I will have to make it gluten-free though!
Irma, This would be good with store-bought gluten-free ravioli or just gluten-free pasta (short-shaped like bow-tie or fusilli).
Can this be frozen?
Tracey, I am not a fan of freezing food with cream in it. Here are my recommendations if you want to freeze this soup:
➡️ Do not add cream. If you would like to freeze sausage tortellini soup, do not add any cream. Heavy cream tends to separate and become grainy if frozen. Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
➡️ Freeze the soup in usable portions. Divide it into 4 or 6 containers. Don't freeze it in a single large container.
➡️ Leave space in the container. When freezing the liquid recipes, like soups, leave the space in the container (about 2 inches) as the soup will expand as it freezes.