Sausage & Spinach Tortellini soup is the perfect all-year-round soup the whole family is sure to love! It's rich and comforting enough for chilly days with a light flavorful broth for warmer weather.
It's quick and easy to make in your pressure cooker or you can make it stovetop. It's also beautiful to serve with the vibrant spinach, rich red broth, and those cute tortellini shapes... well, they simply make the soup!
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The cheese-filled tortellini gives just the right amount of tangy cheese flavor and pairs perfectly with the Italian sausage. You can also add some heavy cream at the end if you want a creamy tortellini soup.
Fresh spinach gives the soup a vibrant look, making this soup one of the best soups I've ever made! The bonus is it is a quick meal to make during the week, taking under 30 minutes from prep to table.
I used my Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 6.5 qt in this recipe, but you can also make it the same way in an Instant Pot or other brand of electric pressure cooker.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Pasta
When I made this soup for the first time, I used dry pasta shells and it was delicious, but when I switched to (affiliate link)fresh five cheese tortellini, the soup really became magical.
There is something about the added flavor from the cheese and the texture of the tortellini that transformed the soup from really good to over-the-top good.
The tortellini I use is cheese-filled and I do recommend using cheese tortellini and not a meat-filled variety.
If you want to use dry tortellini, you will need to increase the chicken broth in the soup and only use about 4-6 ounces of dry tortellini. I have not pressure cooked the dry version, but in my opinion you will not need to increase your pressure cook time. You may have to use sear/sauté at the end to simmer the pasta a little more, but that is better than increasing the pressure time and overcooking the tortellini and having them fall apart in the soup.
You can also substitute any pasta shape for the tortellini, and my recommendation is to use 4 ounces by weight of pasta. Using more pasta will require increasing the chicken broth and throws off the balance of the soup.
Various pasta shapes, like farfalle pasta for example, require slightly longer cooking times (about 3-4 minutes of pressure cook time) so you may want to cut the vegetables just a little bigger so they don't overcook.
The shells cook in the 2 minutes and, since I used those in my first version of the soup, I can tell you that 4 ounces by weight of medium shells (the same size in Velveeta mac and cheese) is about 1¼ cup by volume.
Another substitution for the tortellini would be potatoes, and I recommend using either golden potatoes, new potatoes, or even sweet potatoes that are cut into about 2" chunks which will cook in the 2 minute pressure cook time, but not fall apart. Russet potatoes may overcook and fall apart in the soup, so if you are using them, cut the chunks a little bigger.
Sausage
The type of sausage used in this recipe is Italian sausage that comes in a casing and can be found in most US grocery stores. There are a few different brands, as well as flavors, and I used (affiliate link)Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage in the recipe.
You can use any variety of sausage that you love. If you want a sweeter soup, use the sweet Italian sausage. For a spicier version use the Hot Italian sausage.
Oftentimes I will mix a few different varieties by using 3 links of sweet and 2 links of hot sausage to give a little sweet heat to the soup.
If you don't have or don't like Italian sausage, you can use any type of ground meat or skip the meat for a meatless soup.
Chicken sausage will also work fine.
To substitute ground beef for the sausage, you can use 1 pound, and I recommend using 90/10 so the soup isn't too fatty; or sauté the ground beef and drain off some of the fat before adding the chicken or beef broth.
Liquids
I use chicken broth in this recipe, but you can also use beef broth or vegetable broth.
Water will also work, but make sure to season to taste after the pressure cooking time.
The crushed tomatoes also provide some liquid to create the broth, but it is important that you don't stir it in before you pressure cook or the liquid could become too thick and cause some issues going under pressure.
Vegetables
I use the basic soup vegetables of onion, celery, garlic, and carrots. You can omit any of those and it will not affect the pressure cooking time. You can also increase the amount of carrots or add in other vegetables as long as they are cut into sizes that will cook in 2 minutes of PC time.
Spinach is used at the end of pressure cooking to add a splash of color to the soup as well as add in another veggie. I used regular spinach, but baby spinach will work the same.
You can also use kale, if preferred, but I would add the kale before pressure cooking so it has a chance to cook since it takes much longer than spinach.
Seasonings
Simple seasonings are all this soup needs as most of its flavor comes from the sausage. If you use ground beef instead of sausage, you will want to add in additional spices to taste.
I used fine grind sea salt, black pepper, and ground sage. You can use any kind of salt that you like, just remember to reduce the amount if you are using table salt.
The ground sage rounded out all of the flavors, but if you don't have it on hand, you can skip it.
Feel free to add in other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning if desired. I did not find it necessary, but adjust to your liking.
For an added kick of spice, use some red pepper flakes.
How to Make The Recipe
Mise En Place (Prep for recipe)
The prep for this recipe is straightforward and easy.
- dice the celery into ½" dice
- dice the onion into ½" dice
- peel and cut the carrot lengthwise and then slice into ½" slices
- remove the garlic cloves from the bulb, remove the paper, and smash the garlic clove with the flat side of a knife
- remove the sausage from its casing
- measure out the remaining ingredients
Sauté the Sausage
Turn the sear/sauté function on high and let the inner pot heat up for 2-3 minutes. I usually do some prep work during this time to consolidate the time the recipe takes.
Add the oil and heat on high for another 1 minute or so. Add the sausage and break it up into bite size pieces. I don't like to break it up too much because I enjoy the chunks of sausage in the soup. I try to keep the size about a nickle size or so. Sauté the sausage for 1-2 minutes to start the browning process.
Add the onions, celery, and smashed garlic. Continue to sauté on high, breaking up and stirring the sausage until it is about 50% cooked through. This takes just a few minutes.
Pressure Cook
Once the sausage has browned nicely and is 50% cooked through, deglaze the pot with chicken broth.
Quick Tip
Scrape along the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck on bits from sautéing the sausage. This is called fond and, when left on the bottom of the pot, it can trigger the water notice/burn notice during pressure cooking. You also don't want it to burn, and it will if it is stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Add the seasonings and give everything a good stir.
Add the carrots and tortellini. Push the tortellini under the liquid as best you can.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes and do not stir them in.
This is important to keep the liquid thin for pressure cooking.
Place the pressure lid on your pressure cooker and make sure the valve is sealed. Set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 2 minutes.
Quick Tip
Average Time to Pressure for this recipe is 10 minutes for a total time of 12 minutes from the time you hit start.
When the pressure cook time is up, immediately release the pressure by turning the valve to vent.
This is very important in order to avoid overcooking of the pasta.
Once all the steam has been released and the pin drops, you can open the lid.
Finishing Touches
Add in the spinach and gently press it under the broth. You don't want to stir too much or you may break up the tortellini in the process, so pressing works greats.
Once the spinach has wilted, your soup is ready to serve.
Serve with homemade Italian bread or garlic bread. You can also top the soup with grated parmesan, but with the cheese tortellini I did not find it necessary. This soup is packed with flavor!
Enjoy!
Sausage & Spinach Tortellini Soup Stove Top Directions
The only adjustment to the recipe from pressure cooking to simmering stovetop is you may need slightly more liquid since more evaporation will occur.
Heat a large pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Remove the sausage from the casing and add to the hot oil. Break up the sausage with a Mix 'N Chop or wooden spoon and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add in the diced celery, onions, and smashed garlic cloves. Sauté another minute or so.
Add the seasonings, chicken broth, and carrots. Give it all a good stir and bring the soup to a low boil. Add the tortellini and boil for about 3 minutes or long enough for the tortellini to become al dente.
Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the crushed tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes and add the spinach. You can add more broth if needed.
When the spinach wilts and the tortellini is done to your liking, your soup is ready to be served!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
How to Store Leftover Sausage & Tortellini Soup
Refrigeration
Sausage and Spinach Tortellini soup can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Quick Tip
If you plan to make the soup ahead of time, you can strain the broth from the veggies and tortellini and store them in separate airtight containers. This prevents the tortellini from absorbing the broth while in the fridge.
Freezer
Make sure the sausage and tortellini soup has cooled completely before freezing by refrigerating it overnight. This will prevent ice crystals from forming.
How to Reheat Leftover Tortellini Soup
Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot
Place the leftover refrigerated soup into the inner pot and heat on sear/sauté level 3, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
You may need to add more broth to thin out the soup.
From frozen, I would use the low slow cook function on the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
The spice level depends on what type of Italian sausage you use and if you put in any extra red pepper flakes.
If you want a sweeter soup, use sweet Italian sausage. For a mild soup, use mild Italian sausage and, of course, if you like it spicy, use hot Italian sausage.
Oftentimes I will combine the hot Italian sausage with sweet sausage which rounds out the flavor in the soup.
Yes, you can increase all of the ingredients to double the amount of soup as long as your pressure cooker is large enough and you don't go past the max fill line. You will also want to decrease your pressure cook time to zero or one minute because your time to pressure will increase with double the ingredients. You may want to add 6 cups of chicken broth instead of 8 and reserve the other 2 for after pressure cooking. This will lessen the time to pressure and prevent the tortellini from overcooking.
You can cut the recipe in half by cutting all the ingredients in half. You do not need to change the timing.
The easiest way to turn this recipe into a creamy tortellini soup is to decrease the chicken broth to 3 cups, skip the tomatoes (unless you want a creamy rose sauce which would be great too), and then add between ½-1 cup of cream at the end after the spinach has wilted.
Easy Soup Recipes
Making soup in an electric pressure cooker is such a time saver and once you set it up to pressure cook, it is hands off cooking.
The flavors infuse much faster than simmering on the stove, so grab your pressure cooker and pick your next favorite soup from the recipes below!
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup in the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot
- Vegetable Lentil Soup
- Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Vegetable Beef Soup ~ Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot Recipe
- Homemade Hot & Sour Soup
- Ninja Foodi Zuppa Toscana
- Coconut Chicken Soup (Pressure Cooker & Stovetop Directions)
- Pressure Cooker Vegetable Soup ~ Ninja Foodi Recipe
Sausage & Spinach Tortellini Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Seasoning Blend
- 1½ teaspoons kosher or fine grind sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground sage optional, but delicious!
Soup Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 ribs celery ½" dice, about 1 cup
- 1 medium sweet or yellow onion ½" dice, about 1 cup
- 2 carrots ½" dice, about 1 cup
- 1 bulb garlic, about 8 cloves smashed or 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
- 19 ounces Mild Italian Sausage casings removed (you can use hot or sweet sausage or a combination of flavors)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 9 ounces four cheese tortellini fresh from the refrigerated section
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 ounces fresh spinach about 4 cups packed
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Instructions
- Dice the onion and celery. Peel and slice the carrots lengthwise and then slice ½" slices. You want about 1 cup of each. Peel and smash the cloves from one bulb of garlic. You will want about 8 cloves.Remove the sausage from the casing; or if you want to leave the casing on, slice into ½" slices.19 ounces Mild Italian Sausage, 2 ribs celery, 1 medium sweet or yellow onion, 2 carrots, 1 bulb garlic, about 8 cloves smashed
- Turn the sear/sauté on high and let the pot heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to the inner pot of your pressure cooker and let heat 1-2 minutes.2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Add the sausage and begin to break it up into bite size pieces. Allow the sausage to brown for 2-3 minutes and turn it to brown on the other side.
- Add the celery, onion, and garlic to the inner pot while you continue to sauté the sausage. Once the sausage is broken into the size pieces you want and is about 50% cooked through, deglaze the pot with the chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits from the sausage.4 cups Chicken Broth
- Add the seasonings, fresh tortellini, and carrots. Stir to combine.1½ teaspoons kosher or fine grind sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground sage, 9 ounces four cheese tortellini
- Add 15 ounces of crushed tomatoes on top and do not stir. Put the pressure lid on and make sure the valve is sealed. Set the pressure to HIGH and the time to 2 minutes. Press Start. It will take anywhere from 8-12 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. When the 2 minute pressure cook time is done, immediately release the pressure by moving the valve to vent. Allow the steam to escape and the pin to drop before opening the lid.15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Open the lid and add the fresh spinach. Gently press the spinach under the broth to begin to wilt. Once the spinach has wilted, your soup is done.4 ounces fresh spinach
- Serve & Enjoy. You can top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Dawn Dickinson
Seconds? Yes please! This soup was so good! I did add 1 cup more broth and a little Italian seasoning for more flavor. I will be adding to our winter soup list. Next time I was thinking of even adding a little zucchini or yellow squash.
Louise
I'm so glad you liked it!
Bill Mitchell
Very good soup. Easy to make. Used half mild Italian sausage, the other half hot sausage. It was delicious. Will make again.
Louise
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Barbara C
I added a handful of fresh basil leaves at the end and let it sit.
Added 2 more cups of broth as well.
I was excellent!
Louise
I bet the fresh basil was so good! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!