Easy Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
If you think a jar of marinara sauce is only for spaghetti, let me introduce you to one of my FAVORITE ways to use it! This Easy Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup is rich, creamy, tomatoey, loaded with Italian sausage and pillowy five cheese tortellini, and it comes together in about 20โ30 minutes.
And honestly? When Iโm making spaghetti, I usually prefer to make my own sauce. If you want to do the same, try my Homemade Sauce or Marinara Sauce.
But when I buy a really good jar of sauce, one of my favorite things to do with it is turn it into something completely different. Soups, baked pastas, easy weeknight dinnersโyou already have tomatoes, herbs and tons of flavor built right into that jar, so why not let it do some of the work for you?
I do the same thing in some of my other easy soup recipes, like my Creamy Macaroni Mini Meatball Soup and Mini Meatball Soup. And one of my most viral soup recipes, my Crockpot Creamy Potato Soup, uses jarred Alfredo sauce instead! I also love using a good jarred marinara in baked pasta recipes like my Easy Holiday Baked Ziti.
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This soup might be my new favorite use for a jar of sauce, though. You get Italian sausage, garlic, onion, Raoโs marinara, chicken stock, five cheese tortellini, spinach, Pecorino Romano and heavy cream all in ONE POT.
Serve it with a loaf of fresh Italian bread and Iโm telling you right nowโthis might be better than spaghetti night. Period!
Why Youโll Love This Recipe
This soup took me about 30 minutes to FILM, so you know itโs an easy one! If youโre just cooking it, you can have dinner on the table in about 20โ30 minutes.
The Raoโs marinara does a lot of the heavy lifting for us. Since the sauce, Italian sausage and Pecorino Romano already bring so much flavor, you really donโt need a million seasonings or ingredients.
And the tortellini cooks directly in the soup! No second pot, no boiling it separately and no extra mess.
CLICK HERE to get my favorite soup pot!
MY GO TO POT FOR ALL MY SOUPS!!!!! This Dutch Oven Cast Iron Pot is my favorite to use for all my soup recipes!
Most of the ingredients you will need for this recipe!
I used Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Dried Basil, Italian Seasoning, Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Cook together your onion, garlic, seasonings, and Italian sausage.
Add in your marinara sauce (Rao’s is my favorite to use).
Now hereโs my little trick! Take your chicken stock and pour enough of it into the now-empty marinara jar to fill the jar about three-quarters of the way. Put the lid back on and give it a really good shake. Pour that into the soup.
Then, add the remaining chicken stock from the box directly into the pot.
Cover the pot to help the soup come up to a boil. Once boiling, add the uncooked tortellini.
Once the tortellini are cooked, theyโll puff up into the most delicious little pillows! Now weโre ready for the creamy finishing touches.
Once the tortellini are completely cooked, add chopped baby spinach, heavy cream, grated Pecorino Romano, and crushed red pepper. Stir everything together.
More Delicious Comfort Soup Recipes!
Melissaโs Tips!
- Use low-sodium chicken stock. The Italian sausage, marinara and Pecorino Romano already have plenty of flavor and saltiness.
- Donโt drain the sausage. That little bit of fat adds richness and becomes part of the soup base.
- Use uncooked tortellini. It goes straight into the boiling soup and cooks right in that delicious broth.
- Follow your tortellini package directions. Refrigerated tortellini cooks FAST, and you donโt want it turning mushy.
- Donโt add the cream too early. The tortellini cooks first. Once itโs done, add the spinach, heavy cream, Pecorino and crushed red pepper.
- Taste before salting. You may not need any additional salt at all.
- Donโt throw away that marinara jar yet! Use the chicken stock to rinse every bit of sauce into your soup.
๐ค Common Questions
Yes! Mild, sweet or hot Italian sausage will all work. If you like a little more heat, use hot Italian sausage and add the crushed red pepper at the end to taste.
You can substitute one pound of ground turkey for the Italian sausage, but youโll lose some of the seasoning and richness that Italian sausage brings to the soup.
If you make that substitution, taste the soup and adjust your Italian seasoning, salt and pepper as needed.
Easy Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and chopped garlic. Season with dried basil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Cook until fragrant and slightly golden.
- Add the Italian sausage. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and the onions and garlic are golden. Do not drain the sausage fat.
- Pour in the entire jar of Raoโs Marinara Sauce and stir to combine.
- Pour enough of the chicken stock into the empty marinara jar to fill it about three-quarters full. Replace the lid, shake well, and pour it into the pot. Add the remaining chicken stock directly to the soup.
- Cover and bring the soup to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the uncooked five cheese tortellini directly to the soup. Stir and cook according to the package directions, about 3โ5 minutes, or until the tortellini are tender and puffed up.
- Once the tortellini are fully cooked, add the roughly chopped spinach, heavy cream, Pecorino Romano and crushed red pepper.
- Stir and gently simmer for a few minutes, just until the spinach is wilted and everything is hot and creamy.
- Taste and add freshly cracked black pepper and salt only if needed.
- Serve hot with fresh Italian bread and enjoy!
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Nutrition
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Made this? Tap a star to rate it – it only takes a second and it means the world!๐ How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3โ4 days.
Keep in mind that the tortellini will continue absorbing some of that delicious broth as the soup sits, so your leftovers will naturally become thicker.
When reheating, add a splash of chicken stock to loosen the soup back up. Warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave individual portions until heated through.
