Tuscan Tortellini Soup (Printable)

A hearty Tuscan soup featuring cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, spinach, and creamy tomato broth. Simple, satisfying, and ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Broth & Dairy

05 - 3⅓ cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Pasta

08 - 10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme mix)
10 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing Touches

12 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
13 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the Italian sausage over medium heat, breaking it apart with a spoon until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir in the Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle boil.
04 - Lower the heat and add the tortellini. Simmer according to package instructions, usually 4–6 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream and spinach. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until the spinach wilts and the soup is creamy.
06 - Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like youve been cooking all day, but youre done in under an hour.
  • The creamy tomato broth clings to every piece of tortellini like a warm hug.
  • You can make it with what you already have and still impress everyone at the table.
  • Leftovers get even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Dont add the cream until the very end or it can curdle if the soup boils too hard.
  • If your tortellini package says to boil separately, ignore it and cook them right in the soup so they soak up all that flavor.
  • Taste the soup before you add salt because the sausage, broth, and Parmesan are already salty.
03 -
  • Use a mix of mild and spicy sausage for a more complex flavor that keeps people guessing.
  • If the soup gets too thick, thin it out with a little extra broth or even pasta water from the tortellini.
  • Freeze individual portions without the cream, then add it fresh when you reheat for the best texture.
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