Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini (Print)
Creamy butternut squash soup with Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and a sage cream swirl.
# 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 & Oils
10 - 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped (divided use)
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
13 - Salt and freshly ground black 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 freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until thoroughly 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 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 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. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
05 - Use an immersion blender to partially or fully purée the soup to your desired consistency. A full purée yields a silky, creamy base, while leaving some texture creates a rustic, chunkier soup.
06 - Return the browned sausage to the pot. Stir in the cheese tortellini and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until the tortellini are cooked through and tender.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream and the remaining fresh sage. Heat gently without boiling. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional 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 individual bowls. Add a generous spoonful of the sage cheese mixture to each bowl and gently swirl it into the soup using a spoon or knife. Garnish with extra fresh sage leaves or cracked pepper and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sage cheese swirl on top makes it feel like something you would order at a nice restaurant but it takes about two minutes to throw together.
- It walks the line between hearty and elegant, so it works for a Tuesday night or a dinner party without changing a thing.
- Puréeing part of the soup gives you a velvety base while keeping enough texture that every spoonful feels interesting.
02 -
- If the soup sits overnight the tortellini will soak up a surprising amount of broth, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it back up.
- The sage cheese swirl tastes significantly better if you let the cream cheese sit out for at least thirty minutes before mixing because cold cream cheese will leave stubborn lumps no matter how hard you stir.
03 -
- Browning the sausage well is the single step you should not rush because those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the broth and create a depth of flavor you cannot fake any other way.
- If you have extra time, roast the cubed butternut squash on a sheet pan with olive oil for twenty minutes before adding it to the soup, which concentrates the sweetness and adds a subtle caramelized note that is absolutely worth the extra pan.