Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup (Printable)

Hearty butternut squash soup with sausage, cheese tortellini, and a creamy sage swirl topping.

# What You 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 - ⅔ cup heavy cream

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (divided)
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ 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 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add 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 about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have 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 generously with salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to allow 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 purée part or all of the soup for a smooth, creamy consistency. For a chunkier texture, blend only half of the soup and leave the rest intact.
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 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the remaining fresh sage. Heat gently over low, being careful not to boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with 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 mixture to each bowl and gently swirl it through the soup using a spoon or knife. Garnish with extra fresh sage or cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sage cheese swirl melts into the broth and creates these velvety ribbons that make every spoonful feel indulgent.
  • It manages to be both weeknight friendly and impressive enough for guests without demanding any real finesse.
  • That combination of sweet squash, salty sausage, and pillowy tortellini hits every craving note at once.
02 -
  • The tortellini will continue to absorb broth as the soup sits, so if you are making it ahead, cook the tortellini separately and add them when reheating.
  • Do not let the soup come to a hard boil after adding the cream or it will separate and look curdled instead of silky.
03 -
  • Peel and cube the squash while it is raw, but microwaving it for two minutes first softens the skin just enough to make peeling dramatically easier.
  • The sage cheese swirl can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated, which actually intensifies the sage flavor throughout the mixture.

Return