This Instant Pot creamy tomato tortellini soup is made in no time thanks to pressure cooking – majorly creamy and cheesy and packed with bright summer basil!
*This post is sponsored by Cabot. All content and opinions are my own.
Creamy, cheesy, pasta and sausage soup – probably not something you think of when you think summer fare.
I hear ya.
While I’m definitely craving peaches (or nectarines rather because nectarines > peach fuzz), watermelon, cherries (omg they’re SO good at the moment), all the salads, good corn on the cob and pretty much anything off the grill 98% of the time right now, throw a cloudy, slightly cooler day into the mix and immediately I revert to wanting comfort food.
Funny how that works, isn’t it?
In the midst of our scorching 90+ degree days lately (not complaining, I LOVE it!), we had exactly one slight reprieve where it was cloudy, drizzly and the humidity seemed to momentarily vanish.
And that’s the day I made this Instant Pot tortellini soup because who says you can’t have comfort food in the summer?
While the creaminess factor is off the charts thanks to the cream cheese and there’s some definite comfort food additions like hearty cheese filled tortellini and ground turkey sausage, there’s actually quite a bit of summer flavor packed into this soup too thanks to basil.
I used crushed tomatoes with basil flavor, dried basil and fresh basil stirred in at the end for that pop of herby brightness. The flavor of this soup tastes very similar to the sauce in this marry me chicken pasta. It’s divine.
If there’s one herb that embodies the summer season, it’s basil, no contest.
Ingredients Needed for Creamy Tortellini Soup
- olive oil
- turkey sausage
- yellow onion
- garlic
- tomato paste
- red pepper flakes
- dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- crushed tomatoes
- chicken or vegetable broth
- cream cheese – allow time for it to come to room temperature
- fresh cheese tortellini – if desired use gluten free
- light cream
- baby greens – choose between kale, spinach, chard, etc.
- grated cheddar cheese
- freshly chopped basil for garnish
How Do I Make Tortellini Soup In The Instant Pot?
This soup utilizes a couple of the Instant Pot functions, not just the pressure cooker portion and the key is the three different stages, so you don’t end up with mushy tortellini!
Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add the oil. Once hot, brown the turkey sausage.
Then add the garlic, onions, and spices.
Add the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried basil, salt and pepper. Stir and pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth.
Place the lid on, turn the valve to the sealing position and cook on high manual pressure for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, perform a quick release by carefully turning the valve to the venting position.
Turn the pressure cooker back to the sauté function and add the cream cheese. Stir until dissolved. Add the tortellini and cook for about 7 minutes.
Stir in the cream and baby greens until wilted. Turn the Instant Pot off and top with grated cheddar. Serve and garnish with fresh basil.
Making Creamy Tortellini Soup on the Stovetop
Follow the same instructions above for sauteing except do this in a large stockpot.
Bring the soup to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Then add the cream cheese and stir while it dissolves. Follow the remaining instructions.
What To Serve with Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
You can easily enjoy this soup as a main course meal, but it also pairs well with a roast beef smoked gouda grilled cheese, especially if you choose to leave out the sausage), or a simple baby kale salad.
Use this recipe to make parmesan crisps with grated cheddar and serve them with this soup as a lighter option to grilled cheese.
FAQs and Expert Tips
For vegetarian tortellini soup: leave out the turkey sausage and use veggie broth.
Gluten Free Tortellini soup: Double check that your pasta is gluten free.
Sure. You can use any brand of pressure cooker or follow the stove top instructions above.
Yes, but it doesn’t take nearly as long to cook! Once it has finished, allow the soup to thicken if needed.
Every bite of this creamy tomato tortellini soup is the perfect balance between summer and comfort food.
I bet it will have you wishing for a cooler, rainy day (or two) to break out the Instant Pot and make it!
Love This Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup? Check out these other Instant Pot recipes:
Instant Pot Coconut Pork with Turmeric Ginger Rice
Instant Pot Tomato White Beans
Instant Pot Sweet Potato Steel Cut Oats
Instant Pot Bean Soup
Lentil Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Beef and Mushroom Stew
Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound turkey sausage, removed from casing (*optional)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 ounces Cabot cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups fresh cheese tortellini, **use gluten-free if necessary
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 4 ounces baby greens, spinach, kale, chard, etc.
- 4 ounces Cabot Farmhouse Reserve Cheddar, grated
- Freshly chopped basil for garnish
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté mode. Once hot, add the olive oil and turkey sausage (if using) breaking the sausage into small pieces as it cooks with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Once sausage is mostly browned, add onions (or start with this step if not using sausage) to the pot and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, cook an additional 30 seconds – 1 minute until fragrant then add tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried basil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and broth to the pot and give everything a few stirs until well combined.
- Place the lid of the Instant Pot on and set valve to sealing position. Press manual pressure cook button and set to 15 minutes.
- When Instant Pot signals the end of the cooking time by beeping, release pressure manually by carefully turning the valve to venting position.
- Once pressure is fully released, slowly remove lid and turn the Instant Pot back on to sauté mode.
- Add the cream cheese to the pot and stir for a few minutes until dissolved in the soup.
- Add the tortellini to the pot and cook according to package directions for al dente, usually about 7 minutes for fresh tortellini.
- Add the cream and baby greens, stir until incorporated and greens begin to wilt.
- Turn the Instant Pot off and add the grated cheddar right before serving.
- Garnish each bowl with freshly chopped basil.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Wow! Just made this on the stovetop (no instant pot)
Used diced bacon instead of turkey, but otherwise followed the instructions up until the liquids went in. I increased the chicken stock to 1.5 liters to make it go further, and simmered for 30 minutes – the base liquid tasted amazing at this point!
I found tomato and cheese tortellini at our local supermarket, which went brilliantly well with the soup. Family very happy and have requested this go on high rotation.
Thanks for a delicious recipe!
So glad to hear everyone liked it!
No insta pot, directions for stovetop please.
This is one of our new family favorites. So delicious, full of flavor, healthy, and simple to make in the instant pot. Thank you for the recipe! This will be our go to when friends come over.
Im planning to make this this weekend. Is the torteellini cooked separately in a pot of water? Or is it cooked in the soup in the instant pot? Thanks
It’s cooked in the Instant Pot as detailed in step 9 of the recipe.