Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe

Tortellini soup, or tortellini en brodo, is a soup that is more than the sum of its parts. It combines tortellini pasta with other hearty ingredients, like cooked vegetables, and a silky, satisfying broth. It’s a wildly popular dish found at both high-end restaurants and fast-casual spots. 

This version leans on Italian sausage to build a rich, savory base that infuses the broth with meaty flavor, while a splash of sherry vinegar brightens the pot and keeps the creamy texture light rather than heavy. A mix of onion, carrot, and celery — essential aromatics that form the foundation of many soups — creates a familiar backbone of flavor. Refrigerated cheese tortellini cook quickly in the broth and turn the soup into a one-bowl meal, their pillowy centers soaking up the broth’s savory richness. A final swirl of heavy cream and handfuls of baby spinach bring balance and color.

It’s the simple additions that take the flavor to the next level. Browning the sausage adds deep, meaty savoriness to the broth, while a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind lends a nutty umami note and complexity that tastes like it’s been slow-cooking all day. Fresh thyme adds a peppery brightness to round out the flavors. In truth, the soup comes together in under an hour and it’s easy to prep in advance, making it ideal for weeknights when you want something cozy without the commitment.

How to make this soup vegetarian

To make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, and swap the Italian sausage with a mix of chopped mushrooms, such as cremini and shiitake. Proceed as directed, browning the mushroom mixture first, then simmering the vegetables and broth, adding tortellini, and finishing with cream and spinach. Alternatively or in addition, you could add canned beans a few minutes before the soup finishes cooking for extra heft. For a vegan version, skip the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind and finish with a Parmesan-style cheese made without animal rennet, stirring in nutritional yeast for umami.

What is aged sherry vinegar?

Aged sherry vinegar is a Spanish vinegar made from sherry, matured in oak casks for layered acidity with nutty, caramel notes. It’s brighter than balsamic vinegar and softer than red wine vinegar. It’s most often used for deglazing, dressings, and pan sauces. While it’s available at most grocery stores, you can substitute it with red wine vinegar plus a splash of dry sherry, white wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar, or apple cider vinegar for fruitiness.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Use a pre-chopped onion, carrot, and celery mix to save time.
• For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and use vegetable or mushroom stock and beans for protein.
• Swap mild sausage for hot Italian sausage or turkey sausage, if preferred.

Make ahead 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding more stock if needed to loosen. Freeze broth without the pasta or cream for up to two months; add the tortellini and cream after reheating.

This recipe was developed by Jasmine Smith; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.