This Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Spinach is a comforting and hearty soup that combines the rich flavors of sausage, tender tortellini pasta, and vibrant spinach in a flavorful broth! Perfect for chilly evenings or as a nourishing meal any time of the year!
More cozy, delicious soups right this way! Try my very Best Tomato Soup, Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup, Easy Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, and Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Why This Recipe Works
Hearty Soup Recipe: Yes, this tortellini soup with sausage and spinach can totally be a main course meal! It has protein from the sausage, carbs from the tortellini, and veggies from the spinach! So it is a very well balanced meal all on its own. The savory sausage adds depth to the broth, while the tender spinach provides a fresh contrasting flavor. It is a hearty and filling soup, perfect for a cozy meal!
No Fuss Meal: My easy tortellini soup recipe is so simple to make! After browning the Italian sausage, simply let the soup simmer. Then add the spinach and tortellini and let simmer a little more! All those flavors come together so quickly, making this soup a no fuss meal that can be made in no time.
Ingredients
- Ground Italian Sausage: The spice level is up to you here! You can use mild or spicy ground Italian sausage. Feel free to use ground chicken sausage if preferred.
- Onion & Garlic: Start to build lots of flavor and aroma with onion and garlic!
- Fennel Seeds: Fennel goes well with the sausage in this recipe and adds an extra layer of flavor!
- Red Pepper Flakes: For just a hint of spice. If you are sensitive to spice, feel free to omit.
- Broth: I used low sodium chicken broth! Feel free to use regular broth, and reduce the amount of salt you add yourself.
- Salt & Pepper: Add salt and cracked black pepper to taste.
- Baby Spinach: Baby spinach is added towards the end of the cooking process! It may seem like you are adding a lot of spinach, but it shrinks significantly once cooked in the soup.
- Tortellini: I used cheese tortellini. Feel free to use your favorite kind of tortellini here!
- Parmesan: Serve your tortellini soup with sausage and spinach with shredded parmesan on top!
Here’s How You Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Brown Sausage: Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon as you cook it for about 10 minutes until it has started to brown and any excess water has evaporated. (photo 1)
- Add Aromatics & Spices: Stir in the diced onion and cook for a further 6-8 minutes, until it has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two until soft and fragrant. Stir in the fennel seeds and red pepper flakes, and allow them another minute of cooking. (photos 2-5)
- Add Broth: Pour in a little of the chicken broth and use it to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the broth and season it with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes. (photo 6-8)
- Add Spinach & Pasta: Gradually stir in the spinach until it all fits under the surface of the soup, then add the tortellini. Return the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pasta is tender. (photos 9-12)
- Serve: Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed, before serving in warm bowls topped with shredded parmesan. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- You can use frozen or dried tortellini as well here! I used fresh tortellini, which only takes about 5-6 minutes to cook. Just keep in mind that cooking times will vary depending on the kind of tortellini you use!
- If you don’t like Italian sausage, you can replace it with chicken sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, or omit the meat entirely!
- Replace the spinach with other greens like kale if desired! Or, if you prefer not to add greens, you can add a different vegetable like zucchini to the mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to serve this soup on its own, with some freshly grated parmesan on top! However, if you are serving a crowd or want a heartier meal, you can serve this soup with buttermilk biscuits or garlic knots and a fresh side salad!
Leftover tortellini soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days! When reheating, you might want to add a splash of water to make up for any liquid that the pasta soaked up.
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Easy Creamy Potato Soup
- Asparagus Parmesan Soup
- Lasagna Soup
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz ground Italian sausage
- 1 brown onion - finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves - sliced
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- salt
- cracked black pepper
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- 8 oz cheese tortellini
- shredded parmesan - to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan or Dutch oven over a medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the sausage, breaking it up with the back of the wooden spoon as you cook it for about 10 minutes until it has started to brown and any excess water has evaporated.
- Stir in the diced onion, and cook for a further 6-8 minutes until it has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two until soft and fragrant. Stir in the fennel seeds and red pepper flakes, and allow them another minute of cooking.
- Pour in a little of the chicken broth and use it to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the broth and season it with a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, the reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- Gradually stir in the spinach until it all fits under the surface of the soup, then add the tortellini. Return the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed, before serving in warm bowls topped with shredded parmesan.
Hey girl this looks so yummy!
Looks delicious! I buy frozen tortellini. Do you use frozen or refrigerated tortellin? Will I need to defrost it before putting it in the slow cooker for 20 minutes?
This looks wonderful? Can it be made with frozen tortellini, or is it best with the refrigerated type?
Looks delicious! I buy frozen tortellini. Do you use frozen or refrigerated tortellin? Will I need to defrost it before putting it in the slow cooker for 20 minutes?
Do you use frozen or refrigerated tortellini? Will I need to defrost frozen tortellini before putting it in the slow cooker for 20 minutes?