Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup (Printable)
Hearty butternut squash soup with sausage, cheese tortellini, and a creamy sage swirl topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cubed
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 stalks celery, sliced
→ Meats
06 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
→ Pasta
07 - 10 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
→ Liquids
08 - 6 cups chicken broth
09 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
→ Herbs, Spices & Oils
10 - 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (divided)
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Sage Cheese Swirl
15 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
16 - 2 oz ricotta cheese
17 - 2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
18 - 1 tbsp milk
19 - Pinch of salt and pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until evenly browned. Transfer the sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the cubed butternut squash, dried thyme, ground nutmeg, and half of the chopped fresh sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to coat the squash in the seasonings.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes until the butternut squash is fork-tender.
05 - Use an immersion blender to purée part or all of the soup for a creamy, velvety base. For a chunkier consistency, blend only half of the soup.
06 - Return the browned sausage to the pot. Stir in the cheese tortellini and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until the tortellini is cooked through and tender.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining fresh sage. Heat gently without boiling. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, then remove from heat.
08 - In a small mixing bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, finely chopped sage, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
09 - Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Add a generous spoonful of the sage cheese swirl to each bowl and gently swirl it into the soup with a spoon or knife. Garnish with extra fresh sage leaves or cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sage cheese swirl on top makes it feel like you ordered it at a restaurant, except you made it in your slippers.
- It walks the line between weeknight practical and weekend impressive without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- If you add the tortellini too early it will disintegrate and turn the broth cloudy and starchy, so wait until the very end.
- Fully pureeing the base before adding the sausage back creates a dramatically creamier soup that feels like bisque.
03 -
- Cut the squash into uniformly small cubes so everything cooks at the same rate and you avoid hard chunks in otherwise silky soup.
- The sage cheese swirl can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, which actually improves the flavor and saves you time when guests arrive.