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Nourishing tortellini soup is packed with healthy ingredients like sausage and veggies swimming in a savory tomato broth.
I love soup recipes, and tortellini is one of my favorite simple ingredients to add to soups. Take, for example, our Creamy Tortellini Soup, Crock Pot Spinach Tortellini Soup, or this one with sausage and veggies!
SO hearty – so good!
I’m telling you right now to drop everything you’re doing and add this tortellini soup to your weekly menu plan!
It is seriously so delicious and is a very satisfying soup recipe, perfect for chilly days or any day.
It’s hearty and delicious, filled with sausage, zucchini, and basil. Plus, tortellini is the perfect addition to soup (we are also obsessed with our creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup).
We hope you love it as much as we do.
Follow These Simple Steps
Sausage tortellini soup is so filling and worth the wait!
SAUSAGE. Cook sausage in a pan or dutch oven until browned and broken up.
Add minced garlic cloves and cook sausage for 1-2 minutes longer.
VEGGIES. Move meat to a pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cider, tomato sauce, carrots, basil, and oregano. Bring soup to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes stir in zucchini and parsley and simmer for 10-12 more minutes.
PASTA. Add tortellini and cook for 7-10 more minutes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Version
For busy days, make tortellini soup with sausage in a crockpot!
COMBINE. Brown the sausage with the garlic and add it to the slow cooker. Pour in the apple cider, chicken broth, tomatoes, to tomato sauce, carrots, zucchini, and herbs.
COOK. Stir, add the lid, and cook for 4-5 hours on LOW or HIGH heat for 7-8 hours. Add the tortellini during the last 30 minutes of the cooking time.
If you had been cooking on LOW heat, turn the setting to HIGH for the last 30 minutes.
Variations
Sausage. Use a sweet sausage or a spicy sausage to add more flavor. Or, make it vegetarian by removing the sausage and sauté the garlic for a minute before adding the broth, cider, and other ingredients.
Tortellini. Try different tortellini. Here are some of our favorites:
- Three Cheese Tortellini
- Mixed Cheese Tortellini
- Spinach & Cheese Tortellini
- Sweet Italian Sausage Tortellini
Add some heat. For a spicy taste use spicy Italian sausage and sprinkle in some red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper.
Make it creamy. Add ⅓-½ cup heavy cream during the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time.
Herbs. Replace the dried basil, oregano, and parsley with an equal amount of Italian seasoning.
- Replace the dried herbs with their fresh counterpart. Use one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every teaspoon of dried herbs.
Veggies. Toss in some favorite vegetables for added flavor and texture such as green beans, onions, corn, peas, celery, fresh baby spinach, and kale.
Make it a freezer meal!
This tortellini soup recipe makes a great freezer meal.
FREEZE. Cook the tortellini sausage soup according to the recipe directions, except do not add the tortellini. Cool the soup and place it in an airtight freezer container or use freezer bags.
Uncooked tortellini can be stored in a separate bag. Label and store both bags in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat. Thaw and heat the soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the soup is hot add the tortellini pasta and simmer for 12-15 minutes and serve.
STORE. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat.
- Microwave: Heat for 30 seconds, and stir. Continue to heat in 10-second increments stirring in between until warm.
- Stovetop: Heat over medium heat until hot.
What to serve it with?
Tortellini soup with sausage is filling on its own but pairs perfectly with bread and salads.
Here are some of our favorites:
- Bread. French Bread, Olive Garden Breadsticks, or Bread Bowl
- Salad. Homemade Caesar Salad or a Wedge Salad
- Sandwich. Veggie Panini, Grilled Cheese, or Croque Monsieur
Recipe FAQ
To keep the tortellini from getting mushy, take the soup off the heat as soon as the tortellini has finished cooking. Or, you could cook it separately and add it in at the end of the soup’s cooking time.
One of the signs that tortellini is done cooking is when it floats to the surface of the hot water. It is best when cooked al dente.
You can replace 1 teaspoon of dried herbs with 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. For this soup, add the fresh herbs during the last 10-15 minutes of the cooking time.
For more tortellini recipes, check out:
- Creamy Tortellini Soup
- Cheesy Baked Tortellini
- Spinach And Tortellini Salad
- Crock Pot Spinach Tortellini Soup
- Steak And Tortellini Salad
- Chicken Alfredo Soup
Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Sausage, or 4 Italian Sausage links
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup apple cider, NOT Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced and halved
- 16 oz cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Cook sausage in a pan until browned and broken up.
- Add garlic and cook sausage for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Move meat to a large pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cider, tomato sauce, carrots, basil, and oregano. Bring soup to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes stir in zucchini and parsley and simmer for 10-12 more minutes.
- Add tortellini and cook for 7-10 more minutes. Top with grated Parmesan.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is our go to comfort meal or when one of us is sick! We like to add mozzarella pearls at the end instead of Parmesan. So yummy.
I made this last year & it was amazing! Its one of mY Hubby’s favorite dinners i make him! I Have even made it for friends they love it! I cook regular sausage & dont use spiNich.. but make garlic bread sticks to dip in the soup! Thx Delicious!!
Sounds good! I am so glad it’s his favorite! Thank you for letting me know that!
I’m sure This version of the soup is very good. But what happened to the original one with zucchini and carrots and italian sausage. That was my families favorite!!! I never wrote it down because i had it pinned. HElp!! I need the other version!!
This is the only other one I have..hopefully, it’s it..https://lilluna.com/sausage-soup/
Why did you change this recipe? The recipe onCe called for apple cider, ZUCCHINI, carrOts aNd Now thOse inGredients are gone and replaced with spinach.
I am always changing recipes, but not sure of any of these are what you were looking for…https://lilluna.com/chicken-tortellini-soup/, https://lilluna.com/italian-chicken-vegetable-soup/, https://lilluna.com/sausage-soup/
No, you’ve changed it. This might be good, but just NOT the same! Won’t stop me from trying others, though ?
Luckily I made a copy of the original recipe.
4 links Italian Sausage
4 tsp garlic minced
1/2 cup apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
4 cups chicken broth
15 oz can tomatoes diced
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup carrots chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbs dried parsley
2 medium zucchini sliced
16 oz cheese tortellini
1. Cook sausage in a pan until browned and broken up
2. Add garlic and cook sausage for 1-2 minutes longer
3. move meat to pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cider, tomato sauce, carrots, basil and oregano. Bring soup to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes
4. After 30 minutes stir in zucchini and parsley and simmer for 10-12 more minutes
5. Add tortellini and cook for 7-10 more minutes. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Where is the original recipe? This is the same as the other one. You used to have one with carrots and zucchini.
I have this one that has those…https://lilluna.com/sausage-soup/. That’s probably the one you are thinking.
YoU used to have a tortellini sausage soup that had zucchini and carrots in it and chicken broth and tomatoes. Where is that recipe?
Is it any of these? https://lilluna.com/sausage-soup/ or https://lilluna.com/italian-chicken-vegetable-soup/
Great recipe! I don’t think you mentioned where to add the garlic salt. But I assume it’s with the other seasonings at the end 🙂
Yes, in step 4 🙂 Thank you & enjoy!!
I have made this soup so many times and Everyone loves it. It’s perfect for busy weeknights! This is a go-tO recipe for me and i alWays try to keep the ingredients on hand. So yummy with some crusty bread!
Thank you! I am glad you use it! Yes, it’s perfect with bread!
This is the first and only tortellini soup I make. So easy yummy and filling. My family and everyone just loves this delicious soup. I’m Making it tonight it’s suppose to pour down rain the next few days so I’ll be set. Thanks Lil Luna you never disappoint 😘
Awe, thank you so much for saying that!! So happy you like it!
This is a classic soup dish in our family. I especially love the tortellini which makes it hearty and very satisfying. If you like the taste of italian food you’ll like the taste of thIs soup.
Hi – just wondering, if Using fresh sausage, how many pounds (or links) would You use in place of the crumbles?
Can’t wait to trY it!
It is so tasty!! You for sure could use the fresh sausage or links. I am not sure the amount of package off the top of my head, but it probably compares to a smaller package of links. Really, there is no right or wrong for the amount. If you love sausage, add more, if not, you can always add less. Hope that helps!
my family loved everything about this soup. it had so much flavor & we love tortellini. I had never added it to soup & I will be from now on! It was hearty & so filling!