Butternut Squash Sausage Tortellini Soup

The rain was hammering against the kitchen window so hard I could barely hear the pot bubbling on the stove, and honestly that was fine by me because this soup was the whole reason I had stayed home that Saturday afternoon instead of braving the farmers market like I had planned.

My neighbor Dave knocked on the door to return a borrowed ladder right as I was ladling the first bowl, and he ended up sitting at my counter eating soup for forty five minutes while the ladder collected rain on the porch.

Ingredients

• Butternut squash (1 medium, about 2 lbs): The sweeter the better here, and if you can find one with a deep orange flesh it will give you a more vibrant, richer tasting soup.
• Italian sausage (400 g, casings removed): Mild gives you a gentle, family friendly bowl, but spicy sausage is what I reach for when I want the soup to have a bit of a growl.
• Cheese tortellini (300 g): Fresh or refrigerated both work beautifully, though fresh will cook a minute faster and has a tenderness that is worth seeking out.
• Chicken broth (1.5 liters): A good quality broth makes all the difference since it is the backbone of every single spoonful.
• Heavy cream (150 ml): This is what turns a good soup into something you keep thinking about the next day at work.
• Yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic: The classic aromatics that quietly do the heavy lifting in the background.
• Fresh sage (2 tbsp, plus extra for the swirl): Sage and butternut squash are one of those flavor pairings that just make sense, like they were designed for each other.
• Dried thyme, ground nutmeg, salt, pepper: Nutmeg is the sneaky one here, adding warmth you cannot quite put your finger on but would absolutely miss if it were gone.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp): For getting the sausage nice and caramelized and softening the vegetables.
• Cream cheese (120 g) and ricotta (60 g): Together they make the sage swirl lush and tangy, and it melts into the hot soup in the most satisfying way.
• Milk (1 tbsp for the swirl): Just enough to loosen the cheese mixture so it swirls rather than clumps.

Instructions

Brown the sausage:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the sausage with casings removed, and break it into bite sized pieces as it cooks until deeply browned and irresistible smelling, then scoop it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside while keeping all that rendered fat in the pot.

Build the flavor base:

Toss in the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery, letting them cook in the sausage fat for about five minutes until everything softens and the onions turn translucent, then stir in the garlic for one more minute until your kitchen smells like you know exactly what you are doing.

Add the squash and spices:

Stir in the cubed butternut squash, dried thyme, nutmeg, and half of your chopped fresh sage, seasoning with salt and pepper, then let everything sauté together for two to three minutes so the spices bloom and coat every piece of squash.

Simmer until tender:

Pour in the chicken broth, bring it to a boil, then drop the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and let it cook for twenty minutes until the squash is fork tender and the broth has turned a deep golden color.

Blend to your liking:

Use an immersion blender to purée part or all of the soup depending on whether you want a silky smooth bowl or something with more texture and bite, and honestly both ways are wonderful so go with your mood.

Add sausage and tortellini:

Return the browned sausage to the pot, stir in the cheese tortellini, and let everything simmer uncovered for six to eight minutes until the tortellini floats and is cooked through, which is when the soup really starts looking like a meal.

Finish with cream and sage:

Pour in the heavy cream and the remaining fresh sage, heating everything gently without boiling, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper before removing from heat.

Make the sage cheese swirl:

In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, ricotta, finely chopped sage, milk, and a pinch each of salt and pepper until completely smooth and spreadable.

Assemble and serve:

Ladle the hot soup into bowls, dollop a generous spoonful of the sage cheese mixture onto each one, and swirl it gently with the back of a spoon so it ribbons through the golden broth, then finish with extra sage or cracked pepper.

Pin It

Dave texted me three days later asking for the recipe, which is honestly the highest compliment a home cook can get from someone who usually eats standing over the kitchen sink.

Making It Your Own

Plant based sausage and vegetarian tortellini swap in seamlessly if you want to skip the meat, and a pinch of chili flakes stirred in at the end gives the whole bowl a welcome kick that plays beautifully against the sweet squash.

What to Serve Alongside

Crusty bread is nonnegotiable for soaking up every last drop, and a glass of dry white wine alongside turns a Tuesday night dinner into something that feels deliberate and a little bit special.

Storage and Leftovers

This soup reheats beautifully the next day, though the tortellini will soak up some broth overnight so add a splash of water or stock when warming it back up.

• Keep the sage cheese swirl in a separate container in the fridge.
• The soup base freezes well for up to three months without the tortellini.
• Always add fresh tortellini when reheating rather than freezing it with the soup.

Pin It

Some soups feed you, and some soups make you want to call someone you love and tell them to come over immediately. This one does both, every single time.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use frozen butternut squash instead of fresh?

Yes, frozen cubed butternut squash works well and saves prep time. Add it directly to the pot without thawing — just extend the simmering time by about 5 minutes until the cubes are fork-tender.

→ How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store the soup and sage cheese swirl separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened. Add the cheese swirl fresh when serving.

→ Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Absolutely. The soup base (steps 1–5) can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. When ready to serve, reheat the base, then add the tortellini and cream, and prepare the sage cheese swirl fresh.

→ What type of tortellini works best?

Fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini is ideal because it cooks quickly in the simmering broth. Dried tortellini will also work but requires a few extra minutes of cooking time. Avoid frozen tortellini as it can make the soup watery.

→ How can I make this vegetarian?

Swap the Italian sausage for plant-based sausage crumbles and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Replace the tortellini with a vegetarian variety. The sage cheese swirl is already vegetarian-friendly.

→ Do I need an immersion blender?

An immersion blender is optional. Puréeing part of the soup creates a creamier, thicker base, but you can skip this step entirely for a chunkier, rustic texture. A regular blender works too — just blend in batches and be careful with hot liquids.