Making creamy Italian tortellini sausage soup is easy and will quickly become a favorite! Filled with sausage, tomatoes, tortellini, and spinach, you get all the food groups in one savory bowl.
The tortellini soup (crock pot, instant pot) is a fan with kids in particular, nothing tastes better when you need a hearty comfort food soup the whole family will love.
If you’re a soup lover like we are then you’ll also want to check out our pressure cooker pizza soup, stuffed pepper soup, crockpot taco soup, and egg drop soup.
A printable recipe card is at the bottom of the post!
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Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup Recipe
If you’ve been following our food blog for a while you might remember that I can’t even have gluten and that my husband is on a keto diet. So why am I making crockpot and instant pot tortellini soup??
Because of the kids my friends….
This is their FAVORITE! We originally got the tortellini soup recipe from my kind father-in-law and we’ve been making it at home for the kids for years. It’s our most requested soup at home! When I decided to turn it into a blog post, we not only added a little cream to make a creamy version and spinach for color, but we turned it into a crockpot and instant pot tortellini soup recipe too.
My daughter who conveniently moved just 2 miles down the road was the intended recipient of this delicious and easy batch of tortellini soup until a foot of snow hit us and it would be days before she could make it to our house.
Let me tell ya….I walked the entire enormous pot straight to our next-door neighbor friends who have kids and they were beyond excited. My daughter not so much haha. I guess I’ll just send her the tortellini soup slow cooker version since she doesn’t yet have an instant pot.
Why This Recipe Works
- The easy tortellini soup only takes 15 minutes to put together before cooking
- It’s a kid favorite and always a crowd-pleaser
- The tortellini soup is easy whether you use your crock-pot, instant pot, or make it on the stove
- The use of Italian aromatics makes this the ultimate Italian inspired comfort food on a cold day
- You can easily substitute frozen or fresh tortellini
Ingredients for Tortellini Soup Italian Sausage
The ingredients for tortellini soup with Italian sausage and spinach is also very simple! We love to keep all of these ingredients on hand in the pantry and we almost always have extra frozen tortellini and Italian sausages in the freezer.
Our traditional way of making this soup recipe is actually without spinach, that’s why it’s listed as an optional ingredient. Likewise, adding heavy cream is a new addition, so you can also skip that to lighten it up a bit and then be sure to increase the chicken broth to 8 cups (2 quarts).
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 7 cup chicken broth
- 48 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 lb uncooked Italian sausage, hot or sweet/mild
- 10 oz frozen cheese tortellini (or fresh)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)
The sausage spinach tortellini soup recipe works great with either mild Italian sausage, spicy Italian sausage, OR chicken Italian sausage. We’ve tried it in the past with all 3 types of Italian sausage and we love them all!
How to Make Tortellini Soup
This is going to be a long post…we decided to put the instructions for how to make instant pot tortellini soup, the stovetop version, and a crockpot tortellini soup recipe all in one spot for readers instead of trying to write 3 separate posts.
That being said, the sausage spinach tortellini soup recipe tips will be similar regardless of the cooking method you choose.
Recipe Tips
- Prepare all the ingredients before starting since the recipe comes together quickly.
- Fresh or frozen tortellini works for the tortellini soup crock pot version or stovetop. Only use frozen for your IP.
- Most of the grease can be drained if you want to cut the fat in the soup (leave a little to help cook the onion/garlic)
- Hot Italian pork sausage, mild/sweet Italian pork sausage, or Italian chicken sausage all work well. Use either already ground sausage or remove sausage from the casing if you’re using something like Johnsonville Italian sausage.
- The spinach is optional, chopped baby kale would be another option but might take longer to wilt than spinach.
- You can skip the whipping cream to make the soup a little lighter, just increase the chicken broth by 1 cup
- Serve with a Caesar salad and breadsticks
- Tortellini soup does not keep very well, pasta soup absorbs the liquid and expands overnight. Feel free to add more chicken broth the next day if much of the liquid was absorbed into the tortellini.
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
Turn your pressure cooker to Saute and heat your pot.
Saute the sausage in 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 5 mins, you can drain the sausage after cooking, but be sure to leave at least 1 Tbsp of grease in the pot for cooking the onions and garlic so they won’t stick.
While pork sausage is naturally greasy, I’ve found that adding a little olive oil to the pot helps keep it from sticking as much.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the cooked Italian sausage and saute for 2 more mins.
Stir in the Italian seasoning and mix the seasoning sausage mix together.
Add about a 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the instant pot to help scrape up the brown sausage bits from the bottom of the pot. We do NOT want to get a burn signal while pressure cooking the soup!
Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function.
Add the remaining chicken broth and the frozen tortellini.
FRESH VS FROZEN TORTELLINI TIP: I would NOT use fresh tortellini for the instant pot tortellini soup version, this only pressure cooks for 1 minute with frozen tortellini using fresh could leave you with overcooked tortellini. By chance, if you bought fresh tortellini, simply pop it in the freezer for at least an hour to freeze it.
Pressure Cook on High for 1 minute. Some instant pots have this as the Pressure Cook setting and others call it Manual.
Let the instant pot tortellini soup do a Natural Release for 3 minutes and then do a Quick Release to release the remaining pressure in the pot.
The tortellini will be floating at the top of the pot.
Turn the pot back on Saute.
Add in the fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted, which only takes 1-2 minutes.
Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese, after it’s melted, add the 3/4 cup whipping cream. I like to add a little parmesan at a time, wait for it to melt, and then add a little more. This keeps the cheese from clumping or sticking to the pot.
Stir the pressure cooker tortellini soup one more time before serving. The soup should be hot and bubbling and you don’t want the cream to burn, so the whole process of stirring in the cheese and adding the heavy whipping cream should only take 1 minute.
Turn off your instant pot and immediately dish up.
Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil.
Tortellini Soup (Crock Pot)
Preheat a large pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Cook the hot or mild Italian sausage and chopped onion for 6- minutes until cooked through.
Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for one more minute.
Drain most of the grease from the pan, I like to keep at least 1-2 Tbsp in the pot to go into the soup since it adds a lot of flavor.
Put the seasoned sausage mixture into a large crockpot, be sure to scape up the bits of sausage from the bottom of the pan you cooked it in and add those to the crockpot also.
Add the chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes. Stir all ingredients together.
Cook the tortellini soup crock pot recipe for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
30 minutes before the cooking time is done, add the tortellini, spinach, cream, and shredded parmesan to the pot. Turn the slow cooker to High and cook until the tortellini floats to the surface and the soup is heated throughout. Give the soup a stir before serving.
Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Stovetop Italian Tomato Tortellini Soup
Preheat a large pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Cook the hot or mild Italian sausage for 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes.
Simmer the ingredients on low for 10 minutes.
Add the fresh or frozen tortellini, fresh baby spinach, shredded parmesan, and whipping cream, then continue cooking for 3 more minutes, or until the tortellini float to the top (which means it’s done) and the spinach is wilted.
Stir in fresh parmesan.
Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil.
How Long Does Tortellini Soup Last?
Tortellini soup technically lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days. Tortellini and all pasta soups have a tendency to absorb the liquid in the pot, which causes the pasta to swell in size and it reduces the liquid in the pot.
For BEST results you want to eat the instant pot or crock pot Italian tortellini soup recipe the day you make it. If you have left-overs, which you most likely will, add more chicken broth, cream, salt, and pepper to get the desired consistency.
Can You Freeze Tortellini Soup?
In general, trying to freeze tortellini soup is not a good idea. Neither cooked pasta or cream freezes well and could become mushy or the cream could even separate. If you want to freeze tortellini soup, you’ll just want to make the recipe through the steps before adding the pasta.
Freeze the Italian sausage mixture and tomato broth in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to cook the tortellini soup, defrost it and reheat the soup. Add in the tortellini, spinach, parmesan cheese, and cream per the remaining recipe instructions.
Even More Easy Soup Recipes
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Creamy Italian Tortellini Soup (Crock Pot, Instant Pot)
Making creamy Italian tortellini sausage soup is easy and will quickly become a favorite! Filled with sausage, tomatoes, tortellini, and spinach, you get all the food groups in one savory bowl.
Instructions include steps for making this in an instant pot, crockpot, or on the stove.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 7 cup chicken broth
- 48 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 lb uncooked Italian sausage, hot or sweet/mild
- 10 oz frozen cheese tortellini (or fresh)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)
Instructions
INSTANT POT TORTELLINI SOUP
- Turn your pressure cooker to Saute and heat your pot.
- Saute the sausage in 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 5 mins, you can drain the sausage after cooking, but be sure to leave at least 1 Tbsp of grease in the pot for cooking the onions and garlic so they won't stick.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the cooked Italian sausage and saute for 2 more mins. Stir in the Italian seasoning and mix the seasoning sausage mix together.
- Add about a 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the instant pot to help scrape up the brown sausage bits from the bottom of the pot. We do NOT want to get a burn signal while pressure cooking the soup!
- Press Cancel to turn off the Saute function.
- Add the remaining chicken broth and the frozen tortellini.
- FRESH VS FROZEN TORTELLINI TIP: I would NOT use fresh tortellini for the instant pot tortellini soup version, this only pressure cooks for 1 minute with frozen tortellini using fresh could leave you with overcooked tortellini. By chance, if you bought fresh tortellini, simply pop it in the freezer for at least an hour to freeze it.
- Pressure Cook on High for 1 minute. Some instant pots have this as the Pressure Cook setting and others call it Manual.
- Let the instant pot tortellini soup do a Natural Release for 3 minutes and then do a Quick Release to release the remaining pressure in the pot.
- Turn the pot back on Saute. Add in the fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted, which only takes 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly stir in the parmesan cheese, after it's melted, add the 3/4 cup whipping cream. I like to add a little parmesan at a time, wait for it to melt, and then add a little more. This keeps the cheese from clumping or sticking to the pot.
- Stir the pressure cooker tortellini soup one more time before serving. The soup should be hot and bubbling and you don't want the cream to burn, so the whole process of stirring in the cheese and adding the heavy whipping cream should only take 1 minute.
- Turn off your instant pot and immediately dish up.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil.
TORTELLINI SOUP (CROCK POT)
- Preheat a large pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Cook the hot or mild Italian sausage and chopped onion for 6- minutes until cooked through.
- Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for one more minute.
- Drain most of the grease from the pan, I like to keep at least 1-2 Tbsp in the pot to go into the soup since it adds a lot of flavor.
- Put the seasoned sausage mixture into a large crockpot, be sure to scape up the bits of sausage from the bottom of the pan you cooked it in and add those to the crockpot also.
- Add the chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes. Stir all ingredients together.
- Cook the tortellini soup crock pot recipe for 7-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
- 30 minutes before the cooking time is done, add the tortellini, spinach, cream, and shredded parmesan to the pot. Turn the slow cooker to High and cook until the tortellini floats to the surface and the soup is heated throughout. Give the soup a stir before serving.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
STOVETOP
- Preheat a large pan or stockpot over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot. Cook the hot or mild Italian sausage for 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes.
- Simmer the ingredients on low for 10 minutes.
- Add the fresh or frozen tortellini, fresh baby spinach, shredded parmesan, and whipping cream, then continue cooking for 3 more minutes, or until the tortellini float to the top (which means it's done) and the spinach is wilted.
- Stir in fresh parmesan.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes, more parmesan, and/or fresh basil.
Notes
- Prepare all the ingredients before starting since the recipe comes together quickly.
- Fresh or frozen tortellini works for the tortellini soup crock pot version or stovetop. Only use frozen for your IP.
- Most of the grease can be drained if you want to cut the fat in the soup (leave a little to help cook the onion/garlic)
- Hot Italian pork sausage, mild/sweet Italian pork sausage, or Italian chicken sausage all work well. Use either already ground sausage or remove sausage from the casing if you're using something like Johnsonville Italian sausage.
- The spinach is optional, chopped baby kale would be another option but might take longer to wilt than spinach.
- You can skip the whipping cream to make the soup a little lighter, just increase the chicken broth by 1 cup
- Serve with a Caesar salad and breadsticks
- Tortellini soup does not keep very well, pasta soup absorbs the liquid and expands overnight. Feel free to add more chicken broth the next day if much of the liquid was absorbed into the tortellini.
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