Spicy Italian sausage, tender baby spinach, and fluffy tortellini come together for one delicious bowl of goodness. Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage is going to become your go to dinner staple.
Another day, another cozy bowl of soup.
Making tortellini sausage soup in the pressure cooker keeps everything all together, with little to no mess. For other Instant Pot soup recipes, try Instant Pot Chicken and Poblano Soup and Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Don't have an Instant Pot? No problem! Below you'll see instructions for how to make this on the stove top.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Like Pizza and Soup got Married: This soup Michael has deemed "Pizza Soup." I'm not sure on the name-- but it does have all of the flavors there. Italian sausage, cheese, tomatoes, all in a garlicky broth.
Easy: I say this about most soups, but this Spinach and Tortellini soup is one that is truly so easy to prepare. The only chopping you have to do is the garlic and onions, and it's completely a one pot wonder! The tortellini are fresh and cook in just minutes. Spinach is so tender that can be added right at the end to maintain its color and texture.
Easy to adapt cooking method: You may already be familiar with this creamy tortellini soup recipe. It is a popular one! There are all different variations. From cooking method-- standard stovetop, slow cooker, Instant Pot, tortellini soup can be prepared a variety of ways.
Extremely Versatile: Make Tortellini Soup with and without sausage, with and without tomatoes, heavy cream or plain broth. All delicious, and all versions you may want to experiment with depending on your tastes.
Ingredient Notes
- Italian sausage: This recipe is great with both hot or mild italian sausage, use your preference here. We prefer spicy!
- Fresh tortellini: You will find these in the refrigerator section of your grocery store, likely near the cheese. Use any variety you like, cheese, spinach, meat filled, etc.
- Chicken stock: Chicken stock or even bone broth flavor the broth, homemade or store bought are both good options. If you choose to use water, add a tablespoon or two of chicken bouillon paste for flavor.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Tomatoes add sweetness to the soup and using quality canned tomatoes are so simple to just pour in.
- Fresh baby spinach: Fresh spinach really cooks down, so add extra if you would like!
- Heavy cream: Half and half or whole milk milk can be substituted for a slightly lighter soup.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients
How to make Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
Step 1. Turn on the Instant Pot to the Saute function and add olive oil. Once hot, add italian sausage to the pot and allow to brown, breaking it up as it cooks.
Step 2. Add diced onions and garlic about halfway through and cook until translucent, around 2-3 minutes.
Step 3. Add chicken stock.
Step 4. Pour can of diced tomatoes in the middle of the broth. Sometimes tomatoes can cause a "burn" notice when pressure cooking, so this will help prevent that.
Step 5. Set cook time to 5 minutes at High Pressure. It will take a few minutes to come up to pressure. After the 5 minutes are up, quick release. This means changing the nozzle on top from sealing to venting. Be sure to do so with an oven mitt or towel, as the steam is very hot.
Step 6. Turn Instant Pot to the saute function, once again. Add tortellini and simmer until cooked, about 5 minutes. You will know they are done because they puff up.
Step 7. Add heavy cream.
Step 8. Add fresh spinach and stir. Taste and see if salt is needed. Serve with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Make it spicy (or not!)
You can used whatever type of italian sausage you would like here, mild, hot, or sweet italian sausage all work.
We like this sausage tortellini soup spicy, so we use hot italian sausage and add red pepper flakes when serving.
Stove top instructions
In a large soup pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add in sausage and brown it, breaking it up into pieces as you go, about 5 minutes.
Add onions and garlic and saute until the onions become translucent.
To the pot, add stock and tomatoes and cook until the stock begins to boil.
Add remaining ingredients and cook for 3-5 more minutes, until the tortellini are just cooked and the spinach has wilted.
Recipe FAQs
You bet you can! The beauty of this Instant Pot creamy tortellini recipe is that it is made entirely from ingredients that you may already have on hand in your fridge, pantry, and freezer. Tortellini freeze very easily and will last months that way.
To cook tortellini from frozen, just add 2-3 minutes of cook time on the saute function as opposed to fresh tortellini. This goes for stove top cooking as well.
More tasty soup recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1 lb. package hot or mild italian sausage
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 10 oz. package fresh tortellini
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 5 oz. package fresh spinach
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot to the Saute function and add olive oil. Once hot, add italian sausage to the pot and allow to brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Add diced onions and garlic about halfway through and cook until translucent, around 2-3 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, and then pour can of diced tomatoes in the middle of the broth. Sometimes tomatoes can cause a "burn" notice when pressure cooking, so this will help prevent that.
- Set cook time to 5 minutes at High Pressure. It will take a few minutes to come up to pressure.
- After the 5 minutes are up, quick release. This means changing the nozzle on top from sealing to venting. Be sure to do so with an oven mitt or towel, as the steam is very hot.
- Turn Instant Pot to the saute function, once again. Add tortellini and simmer until cooked, about 5 minutes. You will know they are done because they puff up.
- Add heavy cream and spinach and stir.
- Taste and see if salt is needed. Serve with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Marsha Deutch-Eisenberg
What can I use instead of sausage?
Thank you
Sarah
Hi Marsha! You could sub in ground beef or even shredded chicken. I would just adjust the seasonings a bit by adding in something like Italian seasoning or another blend (sausage has spices in it that help flavor the soup). You could honestly forgo meat entirely, it's great with just the tortellini!
Linda
Well, my picky husband loved this soup! (we all did!) It's rare for him to ask me to make something again.
Sarah
Linda,
I'm so happy to hear you both enjoyed it! My husband liked it too-- he was eating it cold right out of the fridge. 🙂
Chris
Omg!!! This soup is so delicious!! Will be making this again for sure! Thanks!
Sarah
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Just made it last week for our family.
Thank you for your kind comment.
Sarah
Tammie Janiga Mazzucco
Hi 👋 coupd you use frozen tortellini?
Sarah
Yes, totally! They cook up up so quickly. I have done this myself.
-Sarah
Jeanie
Can you add white wine or brandy to this recipe?
Sarah
I love adding white wine to cream soups and sauces. I bet a splash of either would be lovely here.
-Sarah