Dig into a bowl of creamy Instant Pot tortellini soup loaded with zesty Italian sausage, cheesy tortellini, and fresh spinach—it’s easy to make and ready in 30 minutes for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Italian Sausage: Control the heat with mild or spicy Italian sausage, or substitute it with ground Italian turkey or chicken for fewer calories.
- Onion: White or yellow onion works best for this recipe.
- Garlic: Include four fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Tomatoes: I used one can of petite diced tomatoes, but dice 2-3 fresh Roma tomatoes.
- Spices: Spice up the easy Instant Pot tortellini soup recipe with dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire enhances the other ingredients with umami-rich flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is flavorful and easy. Plus, it’s an ingredient I always keep in my pantry.
- Tortellini: Tortellini adds a ton of substance to the soup, making in an excellent one-pot meal. My family loves the three-cheese tortellini, but any tortellini flavor will do. Find them in the grocery store next to the cheese section.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream creates a nice, silky broth; use half-in-half or a non-dairy alternative like coconut cream.
- Greens: The brightness of the spinach or kale is my favorite part!
Additions and Substitutions
What I love most about tortellini soup is its versatility! The hearty blend of Italian sausage, tomatoes, and cheesy tortellini simmered in a flavorful, spiced broth makes it a comforting dish that’s easy to customize.
- Protein: I use Italian sausage, but replace it with ground beef, chicken, or turkey. If you’re vegetarian, use ground meat substitutes or a ton of fresh vegetables.
- Tomatoes: I love the rustic feeling of fresh or canned tomatoes, but if you like a more tomatoey soup, use tomato sauce instead.
- Broth: Replace chicken broth with Chicken Better than Bouillon combined with warm water or bone broth.
- Vegetables: Add carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, or cauliflower for a hearty and filling soup.
- Cream: Heavy cream is the perfect addition to Instant Pot tortellini soup, but it increases the calories. If you prefer a lighter soup – use half and half or coconut milk.
How to Make Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Brown the Italian sausage in the Instant Pot on saute mode. Break up the meat with a meat chopper until finely minced and cook until brown and heated through for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Add the onions and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes until the onions become translucent and soften.
Step 3: Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Step 4: Deglaze the pot with chicken broth and add a bay leaf. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to manual high pressure for 10 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
What does natural release mean?
Natural release on the Instant Pot means allowing the pressure inside the pot to gradually decrease on its own after cooking finishes, without manually opening the pressure release valve. This process takes 10–30 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot.
As the pressure decreases, the float valve will drop, signaling that it’s safe to open the lid. Natural release is ideal for soups, stews, or liquid-heavy recipes to prevent splattering.
Step 5: Unplug the Instant Pot, carefully remove the inner pot, and stir in the tortellini, kale or spinach leaves, and heavy cream.
Expert Tips
- Brown the Italian sausage and break it up using a meat chopper.
- Deglaze the pot with chicken broth to remove any stuck on bits from browning the sausage so you don’t end up with a burn notification.
- Fresh tortellini takes minutes to cook, which is why I stir it into the hot broth at the end with the fresh greens and heavy cream.
- Remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot before stirring in the heavy cream to prevent it from curdling.
If you enjoy Instant Pot tortellini soup, try even more Instant Pot recipes!
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: Corn Bread, Corn Casserole, Corn Muffins, Garlic Bread, Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Focaccia
- Salad: Arugula and Spinach Salad, Vegetable Chopped Salad, Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Keep in mind that the tortellini will change texture once frozen. Let the soup cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Instant Pot tortellini soup will freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the soup on the stovetop or microwave, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe on the stovetop?
1. Cook the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until brown and heated through, for about 10 minutes.
2. Add onions and garlic, and cook until the onions become translucent and soften.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.
4. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Off heat, add the tortellini, kale, and heavy cream to serve.
Can I use dried tortellini?
Yes, but you will need to add it to the Instant Pot before pressure cooking since it will take longer to cook than fresh or refrigerated tortellini.
Can I use frozen tortellini?
Frozen tortellini will need to cook longer, but not as long as dry tortellini. I recommend adding it at the end and warming the noodles in saute mode before stirring in the kale and heavy cream to finish.
More Soup Recipes:
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup
- 1 pound Italian sausage, ground
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (14 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 package fresh tortellini
- 3 cups spinach leaves or kale
- Brown the Italian sausage in the Instant Pot on saute mode. Break up the meat with a meat chopper until finely minced and cook until brown and heated through for about 10 minutes.
- Add the onions and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes until the onions become translucent and soften.
- Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Deglaze the pot with chicken broth and add a bay leaf. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to manual high pressure for 10 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Unplug the Instant Pot, carefully remove the inner pot, and stir in the tortellini, kale or spinach leaves, and heavy cream.
- Brown the Italian sausage and break it up using a meat chopper.
- Deglaze the pot with chicken broth to remove any stuck on bits from browning the sausage so you don’t end up with a burn notification.
- Fresh tortellini takes minutes to cook, which is why I stir it into the hot broth at the end with the fresh greens and heavy cream.
- Remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot before stirring in the heavy cream to prevent it from curdling.