Sausage And Cheese Tortellini Soup – A Dutch Oven Recipe

A rich and creamy restaurant-quality homemade Dutch oven soup that is packed full of bold sausage and Italian flavors and cheese-filled tortellini.

It’s the start of the chilly fall and winter months, which means it’s the perfect time for soup recipes! I am most definitely a soup girl; They are my comfort food!

However, I can easily get tired of having the same old chicken noodle soup or cheesy potato soup after a few weeks. That’s where branching out and trying new soups is helpful, and this Sausage and Cheese Tortellini soup is the perfect one to try!

It’s packed full of flavor thanks to the Italian seasonings and pork sausage. At the same time, the creamy broth and cheesy tortellini help to add richness and comfort to the dish.

You can spice things up a bit by using hot Italian sausage, or keep it mild and tame (my preferred way) by using mild Italian sausage or even unseasoned sausage. Either way, this is a hearty, restaurant-quality soup that will fill you up and keep you warm during those chilly nights!

How To Make Sausage And Cheese Tortellini Soup

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Equipment Needed

To make this soup (and almost any other homemade soup), you need either a Dutch oven or a stockpot. Both pieces of equipment work well and can be used.

Stockpots are large, tall pots that are usually used for large-batch cooking on the stovetop. They work great for boiling pasta, steaming vegetables, and cooking soups and stews.

Dutch ovens, on the other hand, are the kitchen workhorses in my opinion! They are heavy, thick-walled pots that are often made of cast iron or enameled cast iron. Dutch ovens can be used both on the stovetop as well as in the oven and on campfires. They work great for braising and browning meat, roasting foods, baking bread, and slow cooking.

While a stockpot will work for this soup recipe, I usually reach for my Dutch oven. I have both a 4.5 and a 7-quart size, and the smaller one is perfect for this six-serving recipe. (Product Link: Lodge 4.5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid)

Ingredients

• Pork Sausage – You can use either regular pork sausage or Italian seasoned sausage (mild or hot). If you use Italian seasoned sausage, reduce the amount of added Italian seasoning when adding the spices.
• Onion – You can use either white or yellow onion for this.
• Carrots – The carrots are optional, but they are a great way to sneak in a bit of extra vegetables. You want the carrots either finely diced or shredded so they cook up relatively quickly.
• Garlic – It can’t be a good recipe without a bit of garlic in it! Use either freshly minced, frozen, or jarred minced garlic.
• All-Purpose Flour – The flour helps to create a roux and thickens up the broth a bit.
• Chicken Broth – Use either broth or stock as the base of the broth. I normally use powdered bouillon to make the broth, but homemade would be even better.
• Half and Half – Use either half and half or whole milk to create a rich and creamy broth. For an even richer flavor and thicker texture, use heavy cream instead.
• Italian Seasoning – You will need more Italian seasonings if you are using unsesoned sausage. If you are already starting with Italian sausage (either hot or mild), reduce the amount of seasoning added.
• Salt and Pepper – A little goes a long way here since there is already salt in the broth.
• Tortellini – You can use either frozen (which is what we do), fresh, or refrigerated cheese tortellini. The key is to cook it according to the package so it reaches an internal temperature of 160º F.
• Spinach – It seems like a lot of spinach in the recipe, but once it is chopped and cooked, it reduces in volume substantially.

Instructions For Sausage And Cheese Tortellini Soup

Prep The Veggies & Cook The Sausage

The first step is to prepare all of your vegetables. Wash, trim the edges, and dice up the carrots into small pieces. You can peel the carrots if you wish, but we always leave the peel on.

Also dice the onions and mince the garlic at this time. Keep the garlic separate from the other two ingredients since it will get added a bit after the others have had a chance to cook some.

Once that is done, roughly chop up the spinach. Set all the prepped ingredients aside for now.

Using a smaller stockpot or a Dutch oven, brown the ground sausage. Break the clumps of meat up using a meat chopper as it cooks. (This is the one we use. It comes in black, but I like the little pop of color it gives to my kitchen – Product Link: Meat Chopper.)

Once the sausage is cooked and no longer pink, remove the meat using a slotted spoon. Place the cooked meat in a large bowl or plate that is lined with paper towels and set aside. The paper towels will help to soak up any excess fat from the meat.

Cook The Veggies

Do not drain the fat from the stockpot or Dutch oven. You need it to help cook up the carrots, onions, and garlic. If the fat is low, add a bit of extra cooking oil or tallow if needed.

Into the hot fat, carefully add the diced onions and carrots, and cook over medium-low heat. Stir often to prevent browning. After about 3 to 4 minutes, add the minced garlic. The carrots will not be fully soft by this point, but they will soften more as the broth simmers.

Cook the garlic and vegetables for about two minutes or until it has become fragrant and softened slightly. If using jarred garlic, it won’t take as long to soften, whereas fresh garlic tends to need a few extra minutes. You can also use frozen garlic as well for a quick shortcut. Stir continually to prevent burning. Again, the veggies do not need to be fully softened at this point.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir to evenly coat the veggies. Cook over low heat for about a minute, stirring constantly to get rid of that flour flavor and prevent burning. This roux will help to thicken up the broth and will incorporate all those extra bits of flavor that are on the bottom of your pan.

Simmer & Serve – Sausage And Cheese Tortellini Soup

Slowly add in a bit of the chicken broth and whisk to incorporate the flour into the liquid. Add the rest of the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. After the broth has reduced slightly, whisk in the half and half and the seasonings. Note: If you are using Italian sausage, only use about 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning!

Once everything is combined, add back in the drained sausage. Blot with paper towels if needed to remove as much of the grease as you can prior to adding. There will still most likely be some fat left in the broth, but that’s ok.

Now add in the cheese tortellini and the chopped spinach. Stir well so the tortellini is submerged in the broth.

Allow the soup to simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked through. This time might vary depending on whether you use frozen, refrigerated, or boxed tortellini. It needs to reach an internal temperature of 160º Fahrenheit to be fully cooked through.

Serve the sausage and cheese tortellini soup immediately. Allow any leftovers to come to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze and enjoy within 4 months. Enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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