Tortellini, Sausage, and Spinach Soup

Tortellini, Sausage, and Spinach Soup: A Cozy, No-Fuss Favorite

The best soups are the ones you make with whatever you have on hand—simple, hearty, and full of flavor.

This Tortellini, Sausage, and Spinach Soup is in heavy rotation in my kitchen. I almost always have the ingredients for it, but the beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. No spinach? Kale works too. No sausage? You can skip it, though truth be told, that crumbled sausage makes the flavor. And if you haven’t already, start saving your Parmesan rinds—they add so much richness to soups, stews, and sauces. No rind? A generous handful of grated Parmesan will do the trick.

This soup warms you from the inside out. Serve it with crusty buttered bread, and you’ve got the ultimate cozy meal.

Tortellini, Sausage, and Spinach Soup

A rich, hearty soup packed with flavor and comforting ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ lbs ground sausage
• 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes (I prefer San Marzanos)
• 1 can great northern beans, drained
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind (or a handful of grated Parmesan)
• 1 bunch spinach (or kale)
• 1 package of family-size tortellini
• Grated or shaved Parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

2. Brown the sausage. Add the ground sausage to the pot, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned.

3. Build the broth. Pour in the whole tomatoes (with or without the juice) and break them up with the back of your spoon. Add the beans and chicken stock, then bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.

4. Enhance the flavor. Drop in the Parmesan rind and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes.

5. Cook the tortellini separately. While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package instructions.

6. Finish the soup. Stir in the spinach, letting it wilt. If serving immediately, add the cooked tortellini to the pot. Otherwise, keep them separate and add them to individual bowls when serving.

7. Serve warm. Top with grated or shaved Parmesan, grab a slice of crusty bread, and enjoy!

Pro Tip: I like to keep the tortellini separate until serving so it doesn’t soak up too much broth.

This is the kind of meal that feels like home. Hope you love it as much as we do!

xo, Michelle