Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup (Printable)
Hearty butternut squash soup with savory sausage, tender tortellini, and a creamy sage cheese swirl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables and Broth
01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Meat
08 - 12 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
→ Pasta
09 - 10 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
→ Herbs and Spices
10 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
11 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
12 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Sage Cheese Swirl
15 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
16 - 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
17 - 1/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
18 - 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
19 - Pinch of salt and pepper
→ Garnish (Optional)
20 - Extra sage leaves, fried in butter
21 - Freshly ground black pepper
# How to Cook:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage with casings removed and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for 5-6 minutes until evenly browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside, leaving any drippings in the pot.
02 - Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the cubed butternut squash. Sprinkle with dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Cook together for 2 minutes, stirring to coat the squash evenly.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
05 - Use an immersion blender to partially puree the soup directly in the pot, leaving about half of the vegetables chunky for texture. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, puree until smooth, and return it to the pot.
06 - Return the browned sausage to the pot and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Add the cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions, usually 5-7 minutes, until the tortellini are tender and float to the surface.
07 - While the soup simmers, combine the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, chopped fresh sage, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is smooth and fragrant.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the sage cheese swirl over each serving. Top with fried sage leaves and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That sage cheese swirl on top turns a simple weeknight soup into something that feels almost restaurant worthy with almost zero extra effort.
- The partially pureed base gives you the best of both worlds, silky and thick but with enough chunky bites to keep every spoonful interesting.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, making it one of those rare soups that actually tastes better for lunch than it did at dinner.
02 -
- Do not skip the partial puree step because it is what transforms this from a brothy vegetable soup into something luxurious and coat the back of your spoon thick.
- If the tortellini sits in the hot soup too long it will bloat and turn gummy, so add it right before serving or cook it separately if you plan on having leftovers.
03 -
- Cube the squash slightly smaller than you think you need because smaller pieces cook faster and blend more evenly into that silky texture you are after.
- Frying whole sage leaves in a tablespoon of butter for about 30 seconds creates a garnish that looks like you tried much harder than you actually did.