Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup

When I made this butternut squash sausage tortellini soup last winter, my kids were being super picky about dinner, and I had this random butternut squash just sitting there getting wrinkly. I threw some Italian sausage in my big soup pot with whatever else I could find, and boom — suddenly I’m some kind of soup genius according to my 6-year-old. She literally licked her bowl clean and asked if we could have it for breakfast the next day.

Now it’s become this Sunday tradition where I make a huge batch and we eat it all week. My husband sneaks down to the kitchen at like 10 PM to heat up another bowl because he’s addicted to it.

Love Butternut Squash Recipes? Try my Crispy Butternut Squash Fritters with Garlic Dip or this Spicy Butternut Squash Pasta next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This soup is basically autumn in a bowl, but way better than those fancy restaurant versions that cost fifteen bucks. The butternut squash gets all sweet and creamy when it cooks down, the sausage makes everything taste rich and cozy, and the tortellini turns it into an actual meal instead of just soup. My mom came over last week and had three bowls – THREE BOWLS – and then asked me to teach her how to make it. That’s when you know it’s good.

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Ingredient List

For the Soup Base:

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (take it out of the casings)
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2-3 lbs), peeled and chopped up
• 1 big yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken broth (the low sodium kind)
• 1 Parmesan rind (seriously, save these things)
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• Salt and pepper
• Red pepper flakes if you want some kick

For the Finish:

• 1 lb cheese tortellini (frozen is totally fine)
• 4 cups fresh kale, chopped up with stems removed
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Fresh Parmesan for the top
• Good crusty bread for dunking

Substitution Notes: No kale? Spinach works great. Want it healthier? Turkey sausage is fine. Vegetarian? Skip the meat and add white beans. This recipe is pretty forgiving.

Why These Ingredients Work

Okay so here’s the deal with this soup – every ingredient has a job. The sausage creates this amazing base of flavor when you brown it, plus all that rendered fat is liquid gold for cooking everything else. Butternut squash gets naturally sweet and creamy as it breaks down, which balances all the savory stuff perfectly. Those fire-roasted tomatoes add this subtle smoky flavor that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is. The Parmesan rind is like having an Italian grandmother stirring magic into your pot – it adds this deep, nutty richness you can’t get any other way. And the cream just makes everything silky and luxurious.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big Dutch oven or heavy pot
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Cheese grater

How To Make Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup

1. Brown the Sausage (6-8 minutes): Get your Dutch oven hot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break it up with your wooden spoon as it cooks. You want those gorgeous golden-brown crispy bits everywhere – don’t rush this part because that’s where all the flavor lives. Once it’s cooked through, scoop it out but leave about 2 tablespoons of that beautiful fat in the pot.
2. Caramelize the Vegetables (5-6 minutes): Turn heat down to medium and toss in your onion. Let it get soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and butternut squash. This is the magic moment – you’ll hear gentle sizzling and smell this incredible sweet, nutty aroma when the squash starts caramelizing. Don’t skip this step or your soup will be boring.
3. Build the Base (2 minutes): Stir in tomato paste and let it cook for about a minute until it gets dark and smells amazing. This concentrates the tomato flavor and adds serious depth.
4. Simmer the Broth (15-20 minutes): Pour in chicken broth and scrape up all those beautiful browned bits from the bottom – that’s pure flavor right there. Add sausage back in, throw in the Parmesan rind, drained tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a boil then reduce to gentle simmer until butternut squash is fork-tender.
5. Finish with Love (5 minutes): Fish out that Parmesan rind and stir in tortellini, kale, and cream. Cook just until pasta is tender and kale wilts. Taste and fix the seasoning – this is your soup, make it perfect.

Expert Tips

My friend who went to culinary school always says taste as you go and build flavors in layers. Don’t just dump everything in at once like I used to do.

You Must Know

Don’t add tortellini too early or you’ll get mushy pasta soup and nobody wants that mess. Also, once you add cream, keep the heat gentle – if it gets too hot your cream will curdle and look gross.

Personal Secret: I keep a freezer bag full of Parmesan rinds just for soups like this. Every time I grate cheese for something else, that rind goes straight in the bag. It’s like having flavor bombs ready to go.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Want it extra rich? Add cream cheese with the heavy cream – sounds weird but it’s incredible. Feeling fancy? Splash some white wine in when sautéing vegetables. The alcohol cooks off but flavor stays.

Here’s what I learned after making this probably fifty times: don’t rush the caramelizing step on the squash. Those golden edges are where all the sweetness happens. If your soup gets too thick, thin it with more broth. Too thin? Simmer uncovered a few more minutes.

Biggest mistake people make is being scared to season properly. Taste constantly and don’t be afraid of salt and pepper.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

This soup is your playground. Want spicy? Hot Italian sausage and extra red pepper flakes. Want lighter? Turkey sausage and half-and-half. Going meatless? Skip sausage, add cannellini beans. I’ve thrown fresh sage in at the end and it was mind-blowing.

My sister always adds baby spinach with the kale. My dad puts extra garlic because he’s obsessed. Make it yours.

Make Ahead Options

Perfect for meal prep. Make everything except tortellini, kale, and cream, store in fridge up to 3 days. When ready to eat, heat up and add final ingredients. Freezes beautifully too – just leave out pasta and cream until after thawing and reheating.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips Soup thickens as it sits because of tortellini starch, so don’t panic if leftovers look like stew. Just add broth when reheating. Fresh tortellini is amazing if you can find it, but frozen is totally practical for real life.

Serving Suggestions

This soup needs crusty bread for dunking. I grab whatever looks good at the store bakery, but garlic bread would be next level. My kids dip grilled cheese sandwiches right in their bowls, which sounds gross but actually rocks. Don’t skimp on Parmesan on top – life’s too short for under-cheesed soup.

This recipe honestly makes our house feel like home. The smell gets everyone wandering into the kitchen asking when dinner’s ready.

How to Store Your Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup

Leftovers keep in fridge about 4 days, tastes even better next day when flavors meld together. Reheat gently on stovetop – don’t blast with high heat or cream will break. If frozen, thaw overnight in fridge then reheat slowly, adding fresh broth if too thick.

Allergy Information

Contains dairy (cream, Parmesan, cheese tortellini) and gluten (pasta). For dairy-free, coconut cream works instead of heavy cream, skip Parmesan. For gluten-free, use gluten-free tortellini or small gluten-free pasta.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use frozen butternut squash?

Absolutely! Pre-cubed frozen saves tons of time. Throw it in frozen, no thawing needed.

What if I can’t find tortellini?

Any small pasta works. I’ve used gnocchi, small shells, even broken lasagna sheets when desperate. Soup police won’t arrest you.

How do I know butternut squash is done?

Fork should go in easily but squash still holds its shape, not mushy.

Can I make this in slow cooker?

Yes! Brown sausage and veggies first (non-negotiable), then everything except tortellini, kale, cream goes in slow cooker 6-8 hours on low. Add final ingredients last 30 minutes.

💬 Made this soup? Tell me how it went in the comments! Did your family demolish it like mine? Any changes you made? I love hearing about your soup adventures!