This creamy sausage tortellini soup is hearty, cozy, and secretly good for you – exactly my kind of comfort food for a chilly day! It also comes together quickly with minimal prep time, making it the perfect bowl of soup for busy weeknights.
I have always wanted to put a creamy tortellini soup on the blog, and now, with the availability of good gluten-free tortellini at most grocery stores, I knew it was time. And instead of using lots of dairy for the cream, I called on my trusty cauliflower trick – the same one I used in my Chicken and Dumplings, Marry Me Chicken Soup, and my Cheeseburger Soup.
You know, the one where we secretly cook a whole head of cauliflower with a soup, then puree it and stir it back in. Yeah, that one.
And naturally, it worked like a charm – so delicious, so creamy, and my husband said he had no idea there was a whole head of cauliflower in the pot.
Why this Soup is a Winner
- High protein and high fiber thanks to lean Italian chicken sausage and that cauliflower puree.
- Works with gluten free tortellini or regular tortellini.
- Hearty soup for all of the soups not a meal people – this one will turn them into a believer!
- Creamy without the need for heavy cream or dairy.
- So easy – this simple recipe comes together fast, but tastes like it was simmering all day long!
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for full ingredients and amounts.
- olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
- Italian chicken sausage – you can use hot italian sausage or sweet italian sausage or use my recipe for homemade chicken sausage.
- fresh garlic
- yellow onion
- petite diced tomatoes
- tomato paste – love the flavor you get from the paste, but you can sub a little tomato sauce in a pinch
- 1 very small head of cauliflower or 1/2 of a large one, trimmed of leaves but keep the stem intact – the secret to the creamiest soup
- low-sodium chicken stock or chicken broth
- cheese tortellini (I used Wegmans brand gluten-free tortellini) – I prefer fresh tortellini – aka refrigerated tortellini over the dried kind, but both will work
- fresh spinach or kale – I used spinach, but use what you have or like
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- fresh basil for garnish
Step by Step Instructions
Step one: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil or a light coating of cooking spray. Add the chicken sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Once browned, stir in the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add in garlic and saute for an additional minute.
Step two: Add in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 4 cups of chicken stock into the pot, stirring to get all those brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Place the intact cauliflower in the soup – it’s okay if it sticks out of the broth.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender.
Step three: Carefully remove the cauliflower and transfer it to a blender or food processor with some of the broth from the pot. It may help to transfer it to a cutting board or large bowl first, because it will be very hot and soft. Blend cauliflower with ¼ cup of additional broth until smooth and creamy.
Step four: Meanwhile, add the tortellini and greens to the pot, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until pasta is tender, but al dente.
Step five: Gently stir in cauliflower cream, ¼ tsp of salt, and add any additional stock needed to achieve the thickness you would like. This is a soup I like on the thicker side, but it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Step six: Add parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! But cook the cauliflower separately – either stovetop or in the microwave. After it’s cooked, follow blending instructions and add to the soup! You can also use frozen spinach or kale – just throw it in, same as fresh.
Sure! There are dairy free tortellini choices available and you can use dairy free parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast as a topping.
It will soften over time, yes, and also it will absorb the broth. If I know I am making this in advance, I will cook the soup base, but add the tortellini before eating.
Yes, but I prefer to freeze it without the pasta and greens. In fact, it would be great to double the base and freeze half for another night!
Meal Prep + Storage Tips
- To prep ahead – I like to wash and prep veggies on prep day, and even prep the soup base by cooking the sausage, veggies and cauliflower. However, I don’t recommend prepping the full recipe with the tortellini until you are ready to enjoy it.
- Let soup cool fully, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Tortellini may absorb some broth overnight, so save some broth for reheating.
- For best results, freeze soup without the tortellini.
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup (with hidden veggies)
Ingredients
- olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
- 1 ½ lbs Italian chicken sausage or sub turkey sausage or pork sausage
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes or sub fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 very small head of cauliflower or 1/2 of a large one trimmed of leaves but stem in tact
- 4-6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock or chicken broth
- 8 oz gluten free tortellini I used wegmans brand
- 2 cups diced fresh spinach or kale or other green – feel free to increase the amount
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil or a light coating of cooking spray. Add the chicken sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Once browned, stir in the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add in garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Add in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 4 cups of chicken stock into the pot. Place the whole or half head of cauliflower in the soup.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender.
- Carefully remove the cauliflower and transfer it to a blender with some of the broth from the pot. It may help to transfer it to a cutting board or large bowl first, because it will be very hot and soft. Blend cauliflower with ¼ cup of additional broth until smooth and creamy.
- Meanwhile, add the tortellini and spinach to the pot, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until pasta is tender, but al dente.
- Gently stir in cauliflower cream, ¼ tsp of salt, and add any additional stock needed to achieve the thickness you would like. This is a soup I like on the thicker side, but it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Add parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish and enjoy!
Notes
- To prep ahead – I like to wash and prep veggies on prep day, and even prep the soup base by cooking the sausage, veggies and cauliflower. However, I don’t recommend prepping the full recipe with the tortellini until you are ready to enjoy it.
- Let soup cool fully, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Tortellini may absorb some broth overnight, so save some broth for reheating.
- For best results, freeze soup without the tortellini.
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