All my favorite flavors (and I’m guessing yours too) come together in this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup!
There’s something so comforting about a nice bowl of soup on a cold winter day. A lot of comfort foods can be time consuming to make, but that’s the great thing about soup, it’s fast! Most soup recipes can be made in thirty minutes and this delicious Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup definitely falls under the fast category!
I use these cheese tortellini pictured above, but you can use the fresh ones from the refrigerator section or even the frozen ones in the freezer section. Any of them work great, it’s just your personal preference. My reason for buying these is two-fold. One, they are usually the cheapest option, and two, they can last a long time on the shelf in my pantry. I don’t have to worry about using them before a certain time.
For the sausage, I use 3-4 Italian Sausage links. I like to buy the bulk package that has 10-12 links in it and freeze them in smaller portions to use in this soup, spaghetti, lasagna, other soups, skillets, casseroles or even chili. It’s great and sometimes when I’m really on my game, I even remember to take the casings off before I freeze them in portions so I don’t have to worry about it when I pull them out to make a meal.
This soup is super simple to throw together and very versatile. I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes because I like the slightly smokey depth of flavor they give the soup, but regular diced tomatoes or ones flavored with basil and garlic would be just as delicious.
I also like to use zucchini in this soup, but if you don’t have any throwing some spinach in at the very end is a great option, you just don’t want to let that cook more then 2-3 minutes or it will start to get a little slimy.
What really makes this soup, though, is adding the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese at the end. Really takes it up a notch! You can use the bottled type like pictured above or even better fresh grated!
Your family will love this comforting, flavorful soup and you’ll love how fast and easy it comes together!
It serves well with French or Artisan Bread, rolls, or bread-sticks.
Serve with
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ lb Italian sausage (approx 3-4 links)
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt + more to taste wait to add more until you add the Parmesan cheese because it is salty
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tsp brown sugar (optional...I really like what a little sugar does for this soup)
- 1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, I like the fire-roasted variety
- 10-12 cups of water (If you prefer, you can sub a couple cups of chicken or veggie stock) I start with 10 cups and see how it looks once I add everything. I don't use stock but sometimes I add a tsp of chicken bullion....just depends on my mood.
- 2 small zucchini, halved or quartered and sliced ½ inch thick.
- 1 package cheese tortellini
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot or soup pot. Add sausage and cook until starting to brown.
- Add finely diced onion and garlic, continue cooking until onions are starting to become translucent.
- Add the dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (optional) and brown sugar, give it a good mix and then add the diced tomatoes (do not drain) and the water/stock.
- Bring to a boil. When soup comes to a boil, add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. When noodles have 6 minutes left to cook add diced zucchini.
- When noodles and zucchini or tender and cooked, add the grated Parmesan cheese, stir, test for flavor. May need a little more salt and then you are ready to serve.
And for dessert
This was so good! My kids didn’t even mind the zucchini in it!