Sausage Tortellini
in the kitchen with… Autumn 2026
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 pounds Italian sausage, preferably a blend of sweet and hot
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For Serving:
Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh spinach cut into ribbons
Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter and diced onion. Cook for 5 minutes until onion becomes soft and translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add sausage, breaking it into small bite-sized pieces. Cook until deeply browned and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth, scraping bottom of the Dutch oven to release the browned bits. Add heavy cream and softened cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese melts into the broth.
- Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Bring soup to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and grated Parmesan. Cook for 2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts in soup.
- Remove from heat and let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Ladle into warm bowls and finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan, a few ribbons of fresh spinach, and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe courtesy Tina Dibbs of Clive
