Creamy Tortellini Soup
Updated Sept. 9, 2025
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1pound loose sweet Italian sausage or sausage links, casings removed (optional)
- 1medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 6garlic cloves, minced
- 1teaspoon paprika
- ½teaspoon dried fennel seeds
- Salt and black pepper
- Crushed red pepper
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1(28-ounce) can tomato purée
- 8cups (64 ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1(9- to 10-ounce) package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
- 1¼cup heavy cream
- 1bunch Tuscan (lacinato) kale, leaves stripped and chopped
- ½cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- 1lemon, juiced
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
481 calories; 26 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 1202 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
If using the sausage, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high (if not using sausage, heat the oil on medium, then proceed to Step 2.) Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it is browned, 5 to 9 minutes. Push the sausage to one side of the pot and spoon out any excess grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind.
- Step 2
If necessary, adjust heat to medium, then add onion, garlic, paprika, fennel, 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the onion is just softened and everything is fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust heat to high, stir in tomato purée and stock, cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil, then add the tortellini and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes (1 minute longer if frozen).
- Step 3
Add the heavy cream, kale and basil, and cook, stirring, until warmed through and the kale and basil are just wilted, 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Stir to incorporate, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 4
Serve warm topped with plenty of grated Parmesan. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Private Notes
Comments
This soup slaps. Love every bowl and every flavor, especially the lemon for taste. Woof!
LOVE this soup! I doubled the kale and added cannellini beans. The depth of flavor is incredible for how quickly the whole thing comes together!
This was wonderful, but definitely do not use 8 cups of stock! I used 6, and that was still too much. Also, as someone suggested, I used more sausage and less kale (great minds lol). I think 4-5 cups of stock would make this just about perfect.
I made this recently and followed the recipe almost exactly as written. It was a huge hit! I had a small eggplant that needed to be cooked so I cubed it and added 1/2 an onion and roasted it at 400 with olive oil and salt and pepper while I prepared the soup. It was a perfect addition! I’d recommend that if you’re trying to incorporate more veggies in your meals. If I didn’t add these veggies, it would have been too much broth so I agree with other comments to reduce the stock if you prefer a more “stew” feel.
My husband calls this “adult Chef Boyardee” and he’s not wrong. It’s about a million times better.
This was terrific. Made it with only 4c stock and 1c cream, plus a can of cannellini beans, and we all loved and preferred it this way. Yes….it definitely slaps. :)