Description
A quick, one-pot creamy tortellini soup with Italian sausage, spinach, and parmesan that is ready in about 25 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe requires zero stove monitoring and delivers restaurant-quality comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 10–12 oz fresh cheese tortellini
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, for lean sausage)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode on Medium-High. Add olive oil if using lean sausage. Add Italian sausage and break into bite-sized pieces. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned all over.
- Push sausage to the sides or remove to a plate. Add diced onion to the center and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Add dry tortellini and stir gently to submerge.
- Secure the lid, set valve to ‘Sealing,’ and press ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on High for 4 minutes (add 1 minute if using frozen tortellini).
- Allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully vent remaining steam.
- Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh spinach. The residual heat will wilt the spinach and melt the cheese. Stir until smooth.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcook the tortellini; fresh tortellini only needs 4 minutes under pressure. Ensure you deglaze the pot thoroughly after browning sausage to prevent a ‘Burn’ error. Add cream and cheese after pressure cooking to prevent curdling. This soup does not freeze well due to the cream and pasta texture; store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: instant pot soup, tortellini soup, creamy soup, italian sausage soup, easy weeknight dinner, one pot meal, family friendly recipes