Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup (Printable)
Creamy butternut squash soup with savory sausage, cheese tortellini, and a fragrant sage cheese swirl.
# 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
10 - 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (divided use)
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and freshly ground black 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 freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
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 celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional 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. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
04 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, or until the butternut squash is fork-tender.
05 - Use an immersion blender to partially or fully purée the soup base for a creamy consistency. Leave some texture intact for a chunkier result, or blend completely for a silky smooth base.
06 - Return the browned sausage to the pot. Stir in the cheese tortellini and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tortellini are cooked through and tender.
07 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the remaining chopped sage. Heat gently without boiling, then adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat.
08 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta, finely chopped sage, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until completely 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 drag a spoon or knife through it to create a decorative swirl. Garnish with additional fresh sage or cracked pepper and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way the squash melts into the broth creates this velvety base that feels like a hug in a bowl, and nobody believes it only took an hour.
- That sage cheese swirl dolloped on top turns a great soup into something people will actually text you about the next day.
02 -
- If you add the tortellini too early it will turn to mush and fall apart, so wait until the very end and watch it closely.
- Blending even half the soup base before adding the sausage back changes the entire texture into something luxuriously creamy without needing extra dairy.
03 -
- Cut your butternut squash into uniform small cubes so every piece cooks at the same rate and you never bite into a hard chunk.
- The sage cheese swirl tastes even better if you make it an hour ahead and let the flavors meld in the fridge before serving.