Creamy Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage is an easy weeknight meal the whole family loves. Tender tortellini, savory sausage, and spinach or kale cook to perfection in your pressure cooker in 30 minutes!
Ok, it’s a busy night, and you want something hearty yet quick and easy for dinner. Well, here’s your answer: Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage.
It’s packed full of satisfying flavor and can be on the table in about 30 minutes.
This Instant Pot Recipe works for your family because kids and adults love the pasta and sausage combo. For added nutrients, definitely include spinach or kale at the end!
This soup does have it all. A savory, lightly creamy broth, cheesy tortellini pasta, and some veggies, what’s not to like about that!
It tastes like it’s made at your favorite family-owned Italian restaurant.
Also, try our other delicious family favorites like Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese and Instant Pot Spaghetti.
Ingredients
Olive Oil
Ground Chicken Sausage – if you prefer pork sausage, that’s a great option, too.
Onion – diced
Garlic – minced
Dried Thyme – you may substitute it with Italian seasoning.
Chicken Stock – low sodium
Zucchini – chopped
Fresh Tortellini – the kind you buy in the refrigerator section at the grocery store. frozen also works
Parmesan – grated
Spinach – or kale, chopped
Half and Half – or heavy cream
Corn Starch
Water
Salt and Pepper to Taste
How to Make – Step By Step Instructions
You’ve got this. Let’s get started! You can print the recipe from the recipe card.
Step 1 – Brown Meat & Onions
Set your Instant Pot to sauté, add your oil (2 teaspoons), and start heating it. Put your sausage (1 pound) in the pot to brown it while breaking it into small chunks. Cook for a minute and then add the onion (1 chopped) and sauté for 3 minutes.
Next, add the garlic (3 cloves, minced) and sauté for an additional minute. Add in the thyme (1/4 teaspoon).
Step 2 – Add Zucchini and Tortellini
Now, deglaze the pot with your chicken broth (6 cups). This step is important, so you don’t get a burn warning. Add in your zucchini (1 large), if using, and tortellini (1-16 ounce package).
Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 0 minutes (zero). It should be at high pressure.
Step 3 – Chop Spinach
While the pot is coming to pressure, chop your spinach (1 cup) and warm up your dairy (1/2 cup).
Tip: just heat the cream in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Step 4 – Let Recipe Come to Pressure
Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure, your timer will go off. Just let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Once done, move the valve to venting and remove the lid.
Step 4 – Add Parm, Spinach and 1/2 & 1/2
Finally, mix in the parmesan cheese (1/2 cup), chopped spinach, and half & half. Turn the pot back on to the sauté setting.
Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry and then mix into the pot. This step will thicken the soup to a nice creamy consistency.
Once the soup thickens, turn off the sauté function and turn the pot to the keep-warm function—salt and pepper the soup to taste.
Now it’s time to dip in, slurp up the delicious broth, and enjoy!
How to Modify for Young Kids
If you have a picky eater, take out some broth, tortellini, and sausage and serve them in a bowl by themselves. Cooked spinach and zucchini can be challenging for them to handle.
However, introducing new and different foods to kids is always a good thing if you’re up for it.
Tips & Tricks
- You read that right; there are zero minutes of actual cooking time. The pasta will thoroughly cook as the Instant Pot comes to pressure and then releases its pressure.
- If using Italian pork sausage, there is no need to add extra oil to cook it, but do drain any grease after cooking.
- If you want your soup to be tomato based, feel free to add a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste or simply use a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Add it to the recipe when you add your chicken broth.
- For more zesty flavor, add up to a teaspoon of red pepper flakes when adding your salt and pepper.
- You can use ravioli in place of the tortellini. If it’s fresh, it will cook the same.
- If you’re not a fan of zucchini, leave it out. Or, try adding other vegetables like sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, peas, carrots, or mushrooms.
Can I leave out the sausage?
Yes, you can make this tortellini soup without sausage. If you’d like to make this a vegetarian meal, leave the sausage out and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Can I use other meat?
Yes, this recipe works with chicken, or you can substitute ground turkey.
You can add about 2-3 cups of diced rotisserie chicken in the last step, or add about 1 lb of chicken breasts/thighs in step 1 and increase the pressure cooking time to 8 minutes. After the cooking cycle is complete, you can shred the chicken and add it back to the soup in the last step.
Can I Use Frozen Tortellini?
Frozen tortellini works great in this instant pot soup. Just add the same amount as you would the fresh tortellini.
Tools Used
Here is what you’ll need for your Instant Pot Soup.
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Serving Suggestions
This rustic soup is wonderful with warm, sliced french or crusty bread and a green salad. Or serve it on the side of a grilled cheese sandwich.
How to Store
Store any leftover Sausage, Kale Tortellini Soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
You can freeze any leftover soup, too! Simply cool completely, place soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months—thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Please note: freezing the tortellini pasta can make them a little soft and mushy.
More Soup Recipes
Crockpot Enchilada Soup
Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup
Chicken Green Enchilada Verde Soup
Best Homemade Chicken Soup
Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
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Instant Pot Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons ) olive oil
- 1 pound (454 g) ground chicken sausage , or ground pork sausage
- 1 (1 ) medium diced onion
- 3 (3 ) garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon ) dried thyme
- 6 cups (1 kg) chicken broth
- 1 (1) large zucchini, chopped (optional)
- 1 (1 ) 16 ounce package frozen or fresh tortellini
- ½ cup (½ cup ) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (30 g) coarsely chopped spinach or kale
- ½ cup (½ cup ) half and half or heavy cream, warm
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons ) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons ) water, to mix with corn starch
- salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Spatula or cooking spoon
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté, add your oil, and start heating it. Put your sausage in to brown it while breaking it into small chunks. Cook for 1 minute and then add in the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add in the thyme.
- Now, deglaze the pot with your chicken broth. This is important not to get a burn warning. Add in your zucchini, if using, and tortellini. Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 0 minutes (zero). It should be on high pressure.
- While the pot is coming to pressure, chop your spinach and warm up your dairy. Tip: heat the cream in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure, your timer will go off. Just let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Once done, move the valve to venting and remove the lid.
- Finally, mix in the parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, and half and half. Turn the pot back on to the sauté setting. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water and then mix into the pot. This will thicken the soup to a nice consistency. Once the soup is thickened, turn off the sauté function and turn the pot to the keep-warm function. Salt and pepper the soup to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- If using Italian pork sausage, there is no need to add extra oil to cook it but do drain any grease after cooking.
- If you want your soup to be tomato-based, feel free to add a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste or simply use a jar of your favorite pasta sauce. Add it to the recipe when you add your chicken broth.
- For more zesty flavor, add up to a teaspoon of red pepper flakes when adding your salt and pepper.
Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Lemon Chicken
No matter what time of year, soup is just good. When you can make it in your Instant Pot in just minutes, it’s an excellent and satisfying meal. Try this Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Chicken Sausage tonight!
This is probably my new favorite soup. SO GOOD!
I love pasta soups and this tortellini soup with sausage is no exception. Such an easy recipe made in the Instant Pot. Tasty and great as leftovers.
Yes, great leftover, Matt! Thanks for giving it a try and the 5-star rating!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I am so happy I have some leftover for much, so yummy!
We love this soup leftover! It taste even better the next day!
Delicious soup! I love making it in my pressure cooker. Makes it a fast easy and delicious meal.
Perfect year-round in our opinion. It’s so easy to make!
Hi Erin,
This looks so delicious and healthy. Can I make this recipe with traditional cooking pot instead of Instant Pot?
Hi Asma, great question. Although I haven’t tried it, I think this recipe could easily be made on the stove top. Just follow the instructions but use a pot on the stove. Cook the tortellini pasta according to the package instructions. Enjoy!