Pumpkin Tortellini Soup with Chicken Sausage (Print Version)

A creamy autumn soup with pumpkin, chicken sausage, cheese tortellini, and kale.

# What You'll Need:

→ Produce

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 cups pumpkin puree
05 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
07 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

→ Meats

08 - 12 ounces chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

→ Pasta

09 - 9 ounces cheese tortellini, fresh or refrigerated

→ Dairy

10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

15 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
16 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and carrot; sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sliced chicken sausage; cook for 3-4 minutes until sausage is lightly browned.
02 - Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken broth, dried thyme, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
03 - Add chopped kale and cheese tortellini to the pot; simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes until tortellini are tender and kale is wilted.
04 - Lower the heat and stir in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired.
05 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if using. Serve hot.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes, so you can have a restaurant-quality soup on your table on a busy weeknight.
  • The combination of creamy pumpkin, savory sausage, and tender tortellini hits that sweet spot between comforting and sophisticated.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which honestly feels like a gift when autumn gets hectic.
02 -
  • If you add the cream while the soup is boiling, it can separate and look grainy; keep your heat gentle once it goes in and your soup will stay silky.
  • Don't overcook the tortellini in the soup; it keeps absorbing liquid and becomes mushy if you simmer it longer than 10 minutes.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in portions; it reheats beautifully and feels like a gift to your future self on a hectic weeknight.
  • If your soup breaks or looks grainy after the cream goes in, blend a ladle of soup with a splash of cream separately and whisk it back in to smooth everything out.
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