Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Sausage Tortellini Soup is a one-pot comfort dish, made with ground sausage, creamy tomato broth, and a kick of chili paste. Loaded with nutrient-dense kale and a healthy amount of parmesan cheese, this soup is lick-your-bowl good! If you're a fan of my Easy Tortellini Spinach Soup, you're going to love this spicier, sausage-loaded upgrade.

Savory & Spicy Sausage Tortellini soup

Soup has no business being boring. When I’m making homemade soup, I want something super flavorful and bold. Nothing like something you could pour from a can!

My spicy tortellini soup stands out with its rich, creamy tomato broth, cheesy tortellini, and spicy Calabrian chili paste. I top it with parmesan cheese for an easy and craveable dinner that comes together in under an hour.

More than just a weeknight treat, this soup is also super nutritious with ground sausage and shredded kale; the perfect balance between flavor and nourishment!

I love pairing this one with a big hunk of crusty bread for dipping. For more soup recipes that are in my meal prep rotation, my White Bean Kale Sausage Soup or my Zuppa Toscana.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s a little bit about what that goes into my sausage tortellini soup! For the full list of ingredients, scroll down to the full recipe.

• Ground Chicken or Turkey Sausage: This is the protein base of the soup and adds tons of savory flavor. Look for a spicy or Italian-seasoned variety for extra flavor, or use mild and let the chili paste bring the heat.
• Calabrian Chili Paste: This is what gives the soup its signature spicy kick and deep, smoky flavor. If you can't find it, sub in a teaspoon of harissa paste or an extra pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Half & Half (or Milk): This is what makes the broth so wonderfully creamy. Use milk for a lighter version, or heavy cream for something extra rich.
• Fresh Tortellini: Refrigerated cheese tortellini cooks quickly and makes this soup extra filling. Any cheese or meat-filled variety will work.
• Kale: Adds a boost of greens and a little texture. It wilts right into the soup at the end.

How to Make Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup

Step 1: Sauté the aromatics. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, head olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and cook 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 2: Cook the sausage. Add in sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking up with wooden spoon as it cooks.

Step 3: Add spices. Add in calabrian chili paste, tomato paste, salt, pepper, dried basil, and red pepper flake and cook for 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Pour in diced tomatoes and stir.

Step 4: Add broth, tortellini, parm & kale. Pour in chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in tortellini. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in parmesan cheese and kale. Turn off heat and allow the kale to wilt. 

Serve! Top with more freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Before you start

Erin's Expert Tips

From my kitchen to yours

• Break up the sausage as it cooks. Using a wooden spoon to crumble it into small pieces gives you a better texture throughout the soup.
• Toast the chili paste and spices before adding liquid. Cooking them for just a minute in the pot really deepens the flavor.
• Add the tortellini last. Fresh tortellini cooks fast, so stir it in right after the broth comes to a boil to avoid overcooking it.
• Let the kale wilt off the heat. Turning off the burner before stirring in the kale keeps it from becoming overly soft or losing its color.
• To store leftovers, let the soup cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The tortellini will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so you may want to add a splash of broth when reheating. This soup can also be frozen for up to 2 months, though the tortellini's texture is best when the soup is enjoyed fresh or refrigerated.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Need new soup ideas? These fresh recipes have got you covered:

• White Bean Kale Sausage Soup
• Creamy Buffalo Chicken Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
• Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan, Dairy-free)

26gprotein

dinner, Soup

Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup

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by Erin Antoniak

This Spicy Sausage Tortellini Soup is a rich, comforting one-pot meal made with ground chicken or turkey sausage, cheese tortellini, kale, tomatoes, Parmesan, and a creamy tomato broth with a kick of Calabrian chili paste. It's an easy weeknight dinner that's hearty, flavorful, and ready in under an hour.

Print Pin It Rate

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 8 1 cup servings

Course: dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Calories: 429

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb ground chicken or turkey sausage
• 1 teaspoon calabrian chili paste
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half + half or milk
• 18 oz fresh tortellini refrigerated
• ½ cup freshly grated parm
• 6 cups shredded kale
• more parm for topping

Instructions 

1. In a large dutch oven or soup pot, head olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and cook 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add in sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking up with wooden spoon as it cooks.
3. Add in calabrian chili paste, tomato paste, salt, pepper, dried basil, and red pepper flake and cook for 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Pour in diced tomatoes and stir.
4. Pour in chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in tortellini. Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in parmesan cheese and kale. Turn off heat and allow the kale to wilt. 
5. Serve! Top with more freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Erin's Tips

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• Toast the chili paste and spices for a minute before adding liquid. This step really deepens the flavor of the broth, so don't skip it.
• Add the tortellini right after the broth boils. Fresh tortellini cooks fast, so adding it too early can leave it mushy.
• Turn off the heat before stirring in the kale. This keeps it from overcooking and helps it hold its color and texture.
• Adjust the spice level to your taste. Start with the full amount of Calabrian chili paste and red pepper flake, then add more at the end if you want extra heat.
• Leftovers will thicken as they sit, since the tortellini keeps absorbing broth. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

Nutrition

429Calories

26gProtein

39gCarbs

20gFat

5gFiber

Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.

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Recipe by Erin Antoniak and Photos by Bake and Bacon