This sausage tortellini soup with spaghetti squash is an easy fridge clean-out meal that you can whip up in about an hour.
Spaghetti squash doesn’t deserve to be typecast as just a pasta replacement. It can be used in so many different ways that go beyond pasta substitutes. One of my favorite non-pasta ways to eat this squash is in soup!
Why add spaghetti squash to soup? Here are my reasons:
- Stretches the soup so one pot goes even further!
- Nutrients! This is a sneaky way to increase your vitamin C and daily fiber intake.
- Tastes yummy! Roasting the squash first adds a nice roasted flavor to your soup.
I added roasted spaghetti squash to my tortellini and sausage soup. It was absolutely delicious and a great way to clean out the fridge because the ingredients are so interchangeable.
How to make this sausage tortellini soup with spaghetti squash:
This recipe is unbelievably easy to make. The best part is that you can get the soup done as the spaghetti squash roasts. Right before serving, shred the squash, divide it between bowls, and ladle the soup right on top.
Before starting the soup, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with oil and place cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes until browned and softened.
While the squash roasts, brown the sausage. You can use hot Italian or sweet Italian and you can use pork, chicken, or turkey depending on your preference! You could even use your favorite ground meat for this soup.
While the sausage browns, prepare your ingredients. For this recipe, you’ll need a few aromatics but the list below includes substitution suggestions as well:
- Yellow onion: Shallots
- Green bell peppers: Red bell peppers or chopped roasted red bell peppers or chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Celery: Carrots or sliced fennel
- Garlic: Sliced scallions
- Dry thyme and crushed red pepper: Your favorite soup spice blend, like Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence
Once the sausage has browned, begin browning the aromatics. Start with the onion and then add the bell peppers and celery. Finish with the garlic and then melt butter into the aromatics and add the spices.
From there, simply add stock or water and diced tomatoes. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and bring to a boil. Continue simmering as the squash finishes roasting. Right before serving, bring the soup back to a boil and add the tortellini and cook until they float. Turn off the heat, stir in freshly minced parsley.
Serve it up by dividing the shredded spaghetti squash between bowls and ladling the soup on top. That’s all there is to it!
Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spaghetti Squash
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 pound hot Italian pork sausage casings removed
- 1 yellow onion peeled and finely diced
- 2 bell peppers red or green, trimmed, deseeded, and finely diced
- 2 ribs celery trimmed and sliced
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper more or less depending on preference
- 6 cups water or chicken stock
- 15- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 16 ounces fresh tortelloni or tortellini
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Roast the spaghetti squash:
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cut-side down, and roast for 40 minutes or until the squash is golden brown and cooked through. Turn off the heat and leave the squash in the warm oven as you finish the soup.
Brown the sausage:
- Place the sausage in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until completely browned and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat in the soup pot and turn the heat back to medium-high.
Cook the aromatics:
- Add the diced onion to the soup pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the diced bell pepper and celery to the pot and cook an additional 7–8 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more—season all over with salt and pepper.
- Melt the butter into the aromatics. Once bubbly, add the dry thyme and crushed red pepper and toss to coat the aromatics with the spices for 1 minute.
Simmer the soup:
- Pour in the stock or water along with the diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the sausage back to the pot and simmer for 30–40 minutes—taste and season to your preferences.
Finish the soup:
- Bring the soup back to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook for 5 minutes until cooked through. Turn off the heat and stir in the minced parsley.
To serve:
- As the tortellini cooks, shred the spaghetti squash. Divide the cooked squash between bowls. Ladle the hot soup on top. Enjoy!
Awesome way to use spaghetti squash!!!! I loved the addition of the tortellini made for an awesome flavor/ texture combo!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe looks delicious and I’m looking forward to making this tonight! However, I only have beef broth at home. Do you think that will pair well with the other flavors in this soup, or should I just stick with water?
Hi! Thank you! Personally, I would stick with water. I think the beef would overpower the other flavors. Just add more salt as needed!