Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Look no further for the hearty and creamy soup you need for the cold months. This Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage is filled with flavor and fills up the whole family!

If you love this soup, you may want to give some of these a try like our, White Bean Lentil Soup, Curry Chicken and Rice Soup, or Italian Wedding Soup.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Sweet Italian Sausage. This is one of the most important ingredients. If you buy a low-quality sausage, that's what the soup will taste like. Try going to the butcher and buying their sweet Italian sausage or making it home. Sometimes I use my ingredients for Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta) and just make it at home!

Broth. Of course, homemade broth is amazing but we all don't have unlimited time. I usually use Trader Joe's or Costco-brand chicken broth.

Tortellini. This is another one in which quality matters! The Trader Joe's tortellini is okay but if you have a local pasta shop or market that sells fresh tortellini, I highly recommend it because the better the quality the better the taste!

Step-by-Step Directions

Remove your sweet Italian sausage from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. This will help with the searing process. The dutch oven won't lose its heat if the sausage isn't that cold.

Bring a large dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the ground sausage into the pan in a very flat patty. Let it sear for 3 minutes untouched. Then use a wooden spoon to break it up and continue cooking until brown.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set it aside.

If oil is left in the pot, no need to add more. If not add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the carrots, onions, and celery. Saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and stir throughout the mixture.

Then create a small well in the center of the vegetables and add the tomato paste. Let it caramelize on the pan for 2 minutes then stir into the vegetables. Add the broccoli while the tomato paste is caramelizing. Stir the broccoli.

Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper again.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer again. Once simmering, return the sausage to the pot and add the cannellini beans and the parsley.

Simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the tortellini. Cook as directed on the bag but add a minute or 2 since you are simmering and not boiling.

Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the heavy cream, and serve. Sprinkle parmesan on the soup when serving.

Reheating and Storage

Store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. This soup does well in the refrigerator, but the tortellini will absorb some of the broth.

I don't recommend freezing unless you cook the tortellini separately. The tortellini will fall apart upon reheating from the freezer.

Reheat the soup in a pot on medium heat until heated through completely.

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Video Recipe

Other Favorite Italian Dishes in a Dutch Oven

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Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage

A creamy tortellini soup with sausage and broccoli, filled with flavors of fennel, garlic, and onions. This soup easily feeds 6 and can be frozen if you cook the tortellini separate.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: soup

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 450kcal

Cost: $15

Equipment

• 1 Large Dutch Oven or Pot

Ingredients

• 1 lb tortellini
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, ground
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

• Remove your sweet Italian sausage from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. Bring a large dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place the ground sausage into the pan in a very flat patty. Let it sear for 3 minutes untouched. Then use a wooden spoon to break it up and continue cooking until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
• If there is oil left in the pot, no need to add more. If not add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the carrots, onions, and celery. Saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and stir throughout the mixture. Then create a small well in the center of the vegetables and add the tomato paste. Let it caramelize on the pan for 2 minutes then stir into the vegetables. Add the broccoli while the tomato paste is caramelizing. Stir the broccoli.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper again. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer again. Once simmering, return the sausage to the pot and add the cannellini beans and the parsley. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the tortellini. Cook as directed on the bag but add a minute or 2 since you are simmering and not boiling.
• Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the heavy cream, and serve. Sprinkle parmesan on the soup when serving.

Notes

1. Make sure to sear the sausage to get the best flavor from the meat. 
2. Season throughout the process with salt and pepper to avoid a bland soup. Crushed tomatoes NEED seasoning.