Description
A comforting, creamy weeknight soup featuring savory Italian sausage, sweet pumpkin puree, and plump cheese tortellini, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin puree
- 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 package (9-10 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil (as needed)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add crumbled Italian sausage and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and crispy in spots. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving excess grease in the pot.
- In the same pot, add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add pumpkin puree to the pot and stir with the onions and garlic for 1 minute to toast slightly and remove raw taste.
- Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes (with juices). Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the browned sausage to the pot and add Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes for refrigerated). Drain well.
- Stir heavy cream into the soup base and let it heat through for 1 minute. Do not boil after adding cream.
- Add fresh spinach to the soup and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cooked tortellini. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
Toast the pumpkin puree with the aromatics to deepen flavor. Cook tortellini separately to prevent the soup from becoming cloudy or gummy. The soup base can be made ahead and frozen; add fresh tortellini when reheating. Use room temperature cream to prevent separation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with tortelli
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 20
Keywords: pumpkin soup, tortellini soup, Italian sausage, creamy soup, weeknight dinner, one pot meal, comfort food, fall recipes