If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner option, this tortellini soup is ideal. In addition to Italian sausage and cheese-filled pasta, this creamy tomato soup also contains wilted spinach. With just 5 minutes of pressure cooking time, this dinner is ready in a jiffy!
This tortellini soup is a hearty and filling meal that is perfect for a cold day. The Italian sausage and cheese-filled pasta add a delicious flavor to the soup, while the wilted spinach and creamy tomato soup help to make it a nutrient-rich dish. This soup is sure to please the whole family and is a great way to use up some leftover tortellini.
The mild sting of the spicy Italian sausage is softened by the tortellini’s creamy cheese sauce, making for a mouthwatering meal. There’s also spinach in there, which means it must be good for you.
Make yourself at home with a bowl of tortellini soup, some bread, and perhaps even a Caesar salad.
How to Make Tortellini Soup in the Pressure Cooker
- On “saute” mode, brown the Italian sausage and onion. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds of browning.
- Before adding the spices, broth, tomato puree, and tomatoes, if necessary, drain the fat from the meat.
- Quickly release the pressure after the five minutes of cooking under pressure are up.
- After selecting “saute” mode once more, the tortellini, cream, cheese, and spinach are added. Serve the food after it has cooked for about two to three minutes.
I promise you, this soup comes together in no time flat!
Tips for Making Sausage Tortellini Soup
I don’t advise skipping the browning step because the sausage must be cooked before this soup is pressure-cooked.
Since onions release moisture as they cook, I prefer to add them after my sausage has mostly been browned. This liquid aids in the release of any browned bits from the sausage and prevents the dreaded “burn” warning from appearing on your Instant Pot’s display.
Deglazing is just a fancy way of saying adding liquid to a pan of browned food and scraping the bottom to get rid of any food bits stuck to the bottom. The onion had already done the majority of the work for you, but just to be on the safe side, give it a gentle scrape with a wooden spoon. Those components add flavor as well!
We tested this dish using fresh tortellini because our family likes the flavor and texture of it. Our favorite brand, Buitoni, makes three cheese, chicken, and herb flavors that we adore! If the tortellini is dried, it can be added to the other pressure-cooked ingredients. Frozen tortellini can still be used, but it will take a little longer to cook through.
Variations of this recipe
Reduce the heat: although this soup isn’t overly spicy, you can substitute mild Italian sausage if you’d like.
Put in more meat: I like to add some shredded chicken from the fridge while the tortellini cooks (or rotisserie chicken). Increasing the protein while also introducing delicious flavors and textures!
Vegetarian: For a vegetarian option, eliminate the sausage and replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth and all-cheese tortellini.
Put in more veggies: If you’d like to add more vegetables, some diced carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. are a great addition.
If you prefer a creamier soup, add more cream. If you’d rather have a less-creamy version, you can add less cream or omit it altogether.
Preparing sausage tortellini soup in advance
If you want to make this soup ahead of time, leave out the tortellini, cream, cheese, and spinach. The pasta will begin to absorb more liquid after a few days and lose its preferred consistency. When reheating, add tortellini, cheese, cream, and spinach.
Can sausage tortellini soup be frozen?
I don’t recommend freezing any leftovers of this soup because it tends to freeze poorly due to the dairy and pasta content. Tortellini, cheese, cream, and spinach should be omitted if you plan to make this soup and freeze it. After fully cooling, transfer to containers and store in the freezer for up to three months. After thawing overnight in the refrigerator, the tortellini, cheese, cream, and spinach should be added.
How long can sausage tortellini soup be stored?
Refrigerate leftovers and consume them within 5-7 days. The tortellini will absorb more liquid as it rests, so you might need to thin it back out when you reheat the dish with additional chicken stock.
Instant Pot Sausage Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 – 5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 15 oz tomato puree or tomato sauce if you can’t get puree
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes
- 9 oz package fresh tortellini 3 cheese, or chicken and herb variety
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnishing if desired
- fresh parsley/basil for garnish – optional
Instructions
- On the Instant Pot, click the saute button. Heat the vegetable oil after adding it. Sausage is then added, cooked, and crumbled while being stirred.
- Add the onion and continue cooking the sausage for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and heat for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- If necessary, drain the grease, then add the sausage mixture back to the pot.
- Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot before adding the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken broth.
- Give it a short toss after adding the tomato puree and smashed tomatoes.
- With the valve set to “sealing,” stop using the saute mode and secure the Instant Pot lid. Set the timer for 5 minutes by pressing the Pressure Cook or Manual button and using the +/- buttons.
- When the timer beeps, carefully turn the valve to the “venting” position to quickly release the pressure.
- Remove the lid and set it aside after the pin drops. Tortellini, spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese are added after pressing the saute button once more.
- Tortellini should be heated through and floating to the top, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes of stirring and heating.
- Warm dishes should be served with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil on top.
