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
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
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage with casings removed, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until evenly browned and no pink remains. 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 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 squash to lightly caramelize and absorb the seasonings.
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 to your desired consistency. For a chunkier texture, blend only half of the soup. For a silky smooth base, purée the entire pot.
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 tender and cooked through.
07 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the remaining chopped sage. Stir gently and heat through without boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
08 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ricotta cheese, finely chopped fresh 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 into the surface using a spoon or knife. Garnish with additional fresh sage leaves or cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sage cheese swirl on top makes it feel like something you would order at a restaurant that charges too much.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can make a double batch and pretend you are the kind of person who always has homemade soup ready.
- Pureeing the squash base gives you all the comfort of cream without needing a gallon of heavy cream.
02 -
- The tortellini will absorb broth as it sits, so if you are making this ahead, cook the tortellini separately and add it when reheating.
- Do not let the soup boil after adding the cream or it can separate and look grainy instead of silky.
- The sage cheese swirl can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, just let it sit at room temperature for twenty minutes before serving so it spreads easily.
03 -
- Save a few tablespoons of the starchy pasta water if you boil tortellini separately, it helps thicken the broth when you combine everything.
- Toast the sage leaves in a little butter until crispy and use them as a garnish on top of the cheese swirl for texture and visual drama.