Description

Creamy Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup combines caramelized squash, savory Italian sausage, and cheese tortellini in a rich, comforting bowl perfect for fall and winter meals.

Ingredients

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

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Instructions

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Notes

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.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Soup, Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American