Sausage and Tortellini Soup with Spinach

A bowl of soup with a tomato base, filled with tortellini, sausage crumbles, and spinach.

Sausage and Tortellini Soup with Spinach

This sausage and tortellini soup is the perfect cozy comfort food. It features tender pasta, a rich tomato base, and fresh spinach.

Course Main Course, Main Dishes

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 723

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

1 pound ground mild Italian sausage (casings removed, if using whole sausage)
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
6 cups chicken broth low sodium
24-26 ounces jarred marinara sauce we use Rao’s (or about 3 cups homemade marinara)
2 tablespoons tomato paste double-concentrated preferred
1-1 ½ teaspoons salt more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup heavy cream
18 ounces fresh tortellini or frozen (500-600g)
1 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
3 cups baby spinach 2-3 heaping handfuls
¼ cup fresh chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried, added before simmering

Instructions

Add the ground sausage to a large pot or Dutch oven and brown over medium heat. Crumble the meat with the bottom of a wooden spoon as you go, breaking it into small pieces.
Once the sausage is brown and no pink remains, drain off the excess grease. Dab the pot with a paper towel to remove any that remains.
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot along with the meat. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften and the garlic is fragrant.
Immediately pour in the chicken broth and jar of marinara sauce, using the bottom of your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add in the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. If using fresh basil, wait until the end of the cooking time; if using dried basil, add it at this time along with the other seasonings. Stir well.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a high simmer (or low boil).
Once a low boil is reached, leave the lid off of the pot and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps to reduce the liquid level, concentrate the flavor, and activate the dried herbs.
After the simmering time is up, add the heavy cream and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
Add the fresh tortellini and cook for another 3-6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and cooked all the way through.
Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted, then add the baby spinach and fresh basil. Stir until the spinach wilts from the heat (it shouldn’t take long).
Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, parmesan, or herbs as desired.
Ladle into bowls and serve with additional shredded parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat portions as needed in the microwave or stovetop.

With wine: We tested this recipe with red wine, and while it did taste great on the first day of serving, the acidity caused issues during storage, and the soup became “stale” tasting. We don’t recommend adding wine unless you plan on eating it all at once.

With ground beef: This recipe works with ground beef, too; just add 1-1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning to compensate for the added herbs and spices in sausage.

With ground chicken or turkey: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil during browning to prevent sticking, and add 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning.

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