Italian

Spicy Sausage and Pumpkin Tortellini Soup

Name: Spicy Sausage and Pumpkin Tortellini Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 8 oz hot Italian pork sausage, 2 links, casings removed; 1 ¼ cups yellow onion, diced, about 1 medium onion; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon dried basil; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped; reserve a little oil; 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 32 fluid ounces; 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base, Original, jarred; 14 ½ oz diced tomatoes, 1 can (14½–16 ounces), with juice; 3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½-inch cubes; 10 oz Rana Cheese Lovers tortelloni, 10-ounce package, frozen; called tortellini in the recipe title; 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, optional, as needed; ½ cup heavy cream; 0.063 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 small pinch; 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed, roughly chopped; ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated; 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade, for garnish; Parmesan cheese, optional, additional for garnish

This soup was practically asking to be served in my pumpkin dish! I love the way a cozy bowl can make dinner feel a little more festive, and this one has all the warmth I want in a fall recipe. Spicy Italian sausage and cheese-filled tortellini give it that familiar Italian comfort, while sweet butternut squash brings the autumn flavor I wanted to fold into the pot. The creamy tomato broth has a lovely richness from sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, with spinach and fresh basil keeping every spoonful bright. It is my kind of American fall comfort with an Italian heart—a generous bowl to settle into, preferably with a piece of bread nearby for the last bit of broth.

Recipe by Mary Keelan Williams | One Recipe Two Cultures ✓ TESTED & DEVELOPED BY MARY KEELAN WILLIAMS

🇺🇸 American+🇮🇹 Italian

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Mary’s Introduction

This is a hearty soup for 4–6 people, depending on bowl size; the structured recipe is set to 6 servings. The title says pumpkin, but the cubed vegetable in this version is butternut squash, as specified in my cooking notes. Brown the sausage and soften the onion in the same pan, then build the tomato broth before adding the squash and pasta. The cream and greens wait until the end, and the Parmesan goes in off the heat. Prep takes about 20 minutes; allow 35–45 minutes to cook, or about 55–65 minutes altogether. The numeric timing fields use the upper end of that range.

Why These Flavors Work

The sweetness of butternut squash softens the heat of the hot Italian sausage. Tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes deepen the tomato flavor, while chicken stock and bouillon support the savory broth. Cream rounds its acidity, Parmesan adds salty richness, and a small pinch of nutmeg ties the squash and dairy together. Spinach contributes a mild green note and basil finishes the bowl with freshness. Cheese-filled Italian pasta meets the familiar American appeal of a creamy fall soup.

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COOKING MODESpicy Sausage and Pumpkin Tortellini Soup

Follow Mary’s published recipe step by step. Use Keep Screen Awake on the recipe card if needed.

Step 1 of 7

STEP 1

Brown the sausage. Heat a deep 5- to 6-quart sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then add the sausage with its casings removed and break it into bite-size pieces. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Do not drain the pan; the onion is cooked directly with the sausage in the next step. Cook pork sausage to 160°F, checked with a food thermometer; browning alone does not establish doneness.

STEP 2

Soften the onion. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion directly to the sausage and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic, dried basil, salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds.

STEP 3

Build the tomato base. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in the 4 cups of stock, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon base and scrape up the browned bits. Add the diced tomatoes and all their juice. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. The reserved sun-dried tomato packing oil is not added in this version.

STEP 4

Give the squash a head start. Add the butternut squash and return to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test a cube: it should be slightly firm but almost cooked through. If still hard in the center, give it a little more time before adding the tortellini; the cue matters more than the exact minute.

STEP 5

Cook the tortellini. Add the frozen tortellini directly to the gently simmering soup. Cook according to your package timing until the pasta and filling are cooked through and the squash is tender. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Add some of the extra stock, up to 1 cup, if the soup becomes too thick. Rana’s Cheese Lovers Tortelloni directions specify 3 minutes from refrigerated or an additional 1 minute from frozen, with the filling reaching 160°F; use the instructions on your actual package and allow extra time if needed in this thicker soup.

STEP 6

Finish with cream and spinach. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the ½ cup heavy cream, pinch of nutmeg and chopped spinach. Heat gently for about 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the soup is hot. Avoid a rolling boil.

STEP 7

Add the Parmesan and serve. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan a little at a time until incorporated. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan and the fresh basil chiffonade.

How to Make Spicy Sausage and Pumpkin Tortellini Soup

Step 1

Brown the crumbled hot Italian pork sausage in olive oil in a deep pan.

Step 2

Soften the onion, then briefly cook the garlic, dried basil, salt and pepper.

Step 3

Cook the tomato paste, add sun-dried tomatoes, then stir in stock, water, bouillon and canned tomatoes.

Step 4

Simmer the tomato broth, covered, for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Give the ½-inch butternut squash cubes a 7-minute head start, checking their tenderness.

Step 6

Gently simmer the frozen tortellini until its filling is cooked and the squash is tender.

Step 7

On low heat, add the cream, nutmeg and spinach; warm gently for 2 minutes.

Step 8

Off the heat, stir in Parmesan, adjust seasoning and garnish the bowls with Parmesan and basil.

Recipe Guidance

Storage

Divide into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F. Store at 40°F or below for 3–4 days. Keep separately cooked tortellini apart from the broth when possible; already combined pasta will absorb more liquid.

Reheating

Warm a refrigerated portion gently in a saucepan, stirring and adding a little stock to loosen it. Check that the soup reaches 165°F throughout with a food thermometer. Keep stirring to prevent dairy and pasta from catching on the bottom.

Make Ahead

The onion, garlic, squash and drained sun-dried tomatoes can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated. For a complete make-ahead meal, cook the soup base and tortellini separately, cool promptly, refrigerate and combine portions when reheating. Add fresh basil at serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve in bowls with the fresh basil chiffonade and additional Parmesan. Bread is an optional accompaniment, separate from the recipe and its base nutrition. The pumpkin-shaped serving dish offers a festive autumn presentation.

Mary’s Introduction

Why These Flavors Work