Tuscan Ravioli Soup with Italian Sausage
If you’ve been following along with my Fall Soup Series, you know we’ve made some incredible bowls of comfort this season… but this Tuscan Ravioli Soup with Italian Sausage might just take the crown.
I’m not exaggerating when I say this one tastes straight out of a restaurant.
It’s brothy yet silky, loaded with tender cheese-filled ravioli, packed with veggies, layered with herbs, and finished with a splash of cream that gives it the most luxurious mouthfeel.
And the flavor?
Out. Of. This. World.
My husband took one bite and said this is his favorite soup of the entire series — and honestly, I have to agree. The broth alone tastes like it simmered all day, yet the whole thing comes together in under an hour with simple everyday ingredients.
This soup is comforting, beautiful, and ridiculously delicious.
If you’re looking for one cozy recipe to impress your family (or yourself!), this is the one.
And be sure to check out these other great recipes while you are here!
Minestrone Soup with Italian Sausage
Marry Me Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
Creamy Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder with Bacon
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-quality flavors at home. The broth has depth, richness, and brightness thanks to layers of herbs, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and a Parmesan rind.
- Brothy but silky. Light enough to enjoy anytime, with just a touch of cream for a velvety mouthfeel.
- Hearty and satisfying. Cheese-stuffed ravioli + Italian sausage = the perfect cozy dinner.
- Packed with veggies. Tender carrots, celery, onion, garlic, spinach, and basil give color, flavor, and freshness.
- Minimal effort, maximum payoff. This soup tastes complicated, but it couldn’t be simpler to make.
- Family-approved. This one got a HUGE rave review from my husband — his favorite in the series!
- Great for leftovers. The ravioli held up beautifully and didn’t soak up all the broth.
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 2 tsp Herbs de Provence
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 heaping tbsp Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base
- 6 cups water
- 18 oz fresh 4-cheese ravioli
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups chopped baby spinach
- 2 tsp chopped fresh basil (plus more for garnish)
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Swaps & Substitutions
- Protein: Use mild, spicy, or even chicken Italian sausage.
- Ravioli: Any filled ravioli works — four cheese, spinach, mushroom, or even tortellini.
- Spinach: Swap with kale (simmer longer) or Swiss chard.
- Cream: Use half-and-half for a lighter option.
- Broth: Replace the Better Than Bouillon + water with 6 cups chicken broth if needed.
- Herbs de Provence: Italian seasoning works (but the Provence blend truly shines here).
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Oil-packed is best, but dry-packed can work if rehydrated.
How to Make Tuscan Ravioli Soup
Start by heating about half a tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar along with a tablespoon of salted butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté for 8–10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the minced garlic (I used eight cloves!) and let it cook for about a minute. Add the Italian sausage directly into the pot, breaking it up as it browns. Sprinkle in the Herbs de Provence and red pepper flakes, mixing everything together as the sausage cooks.
Once the sausage is browned, stir in the tomato paste and let it caramelize for about 3 minutes — this step builds incredible depth. Add the julienned sun-dried tomatoes and let them warm through before stirring in the Better Than Bouillon and pouring in the 6 cups of water. Add the Parmesan rind and bring the soup to a boil.When the pot is bubbling, add the fresh cheese-filled ravioli, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 4 minutes or until the ravioli are tender.
When the ravioli is cooked, remove the Parmesan rind, then stir in the heavy cream, chopped spinach, and fresh basil. Let the spinach wilt and taste the broth to see if it needs anything — mine was perfect as-is. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the whole pot.
Ladle you Tuscan Ravioli Soup with Italian Sausage into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan, basil ribbons, and another pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve with toasted baguette, garlic bread, or garlic breadsticks.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip caramelizing the tomato paste. It deepens the broth and brings incredible umami.
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. The oil adds extra flavor right from the start.
- A Parmesan rind = restaurant magic. It melts into the soup and adds so much richness.
- Add the cream at the end. Keeps the broth light and silky.
- Optional: If you prefer a less oily broth, feel free to drain the sausage after browning — I left it in for max flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Toasted baguette
- Garlic bread
- Garlic breadsticks
- A simple side salad
- Extra Parmesan on top
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Tuscan Ravioli Soup with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp Oil from Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Carrot, diced
- 1 Rib of Celery, diced
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- 8 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 lb Ground Italian Sausage
- 2 tsp Herbs De Provence or Italian Seasoning
- 1/2-1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Julienne Cut Sun-Dried Tomatoes in oil
- 2 tbsp (heaping) Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base + 6 Cups water OR use 6 cups of chicken broth and omit the bouillon
- 18 oz Fresh Mini Cheese Ravioli
- 1 Parmesan Rind optional but adds great flavor
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 3 Cups Fresh, Chopped Baby Spinach
- 2 tsp Fresh Basil, chopped into ribbons plus more for garnish
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Freshly Grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, then add the Italian sausage and cook until browned. Mix in the Herbs de Provence and red pepper flakes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until caramelized. Stir in the julienned sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add the Better Than Bouillon and water, then bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the ravioli and the parmesan rind. Put the lid on and turn it to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the ravioli are tender. (It should say on the package how long to cook them for).
- Remove the Parmesan rind, then stir in the heavy cream, chopped spinach, and fresh basil. Let the spinach wilt. Add the lemon juice and season to taste if needed.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and extra basil and red pepper flakes on top.
Notes
Storage & Reheating
- Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Add a splash of water or cream if the broth thickens (mine didn’t need it).
- I do not recommend freezing unless, you leave the ravioli out and add it in when you make the soup. It will turn to mush. Make the soup as is, without the ravioli. Let it cool and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to make it, let it thaw, then transfer it to a pan and cook it with the ravioli in it.
I’ve never left a food review before but had to on this! This smells and tastes so disgustingly awesome!
Thanks!
I was a little confused because I have never heard anyone refer to something as disgustingly awesome! LOL! But i am glad you liked it so much! Thank you for leaving a great review! 🙂
Very good. I used kale instead of spinach since it is heartier.
So freaking delicious! Thank you for sharing!!
Yay! So glad you liked it Ashlea! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂
Hi! I’m making this soup for the second time tonight because it is so very delicious and my family LOVED it! So flavorful!
I do have a question on the measurement for the sun-dried tomatoes. The recipe only says 1/2 julienne cut sundried tomatoes – is that 1/2 cup? I think I just guessed the first time but wanted to make sure now that I’m making it again.
Thanks for the great recipe! Yummm!!
Hi Heidi! I apologize for not being able to get to your comment sooner! And I am sorry that I don’t have the instructions written correctly. It is 1/2 cup! I will get that fixed. I am so glad you love the soup so much! Thank you 🙂
It was wonderful. The only things I will change next time is watch the sodium. Very rich broth. We used large ravioli, couldn’t find the minis.
Fantastic receipe! Thank you for sharing. I followed the directions e and it turned out exactly as pictured. The squeeze of lemon is a must – it totally added to the richness in the flavors. I will make again with less spicy Italian sausage for the picker members of my family. Oh. I used kale instead of spinach because that was what we had in the fridge and I don’t think it took anything away from the flavors. Thank you again this will be added to my staples.
So happy to hear that you loved the recipe, Noemi! And the lemon does make such a difference! And kale is a great substitute! Thank you for the great review! 🙂
Making this again! Absolutely delicious! I tend to add extra veggies so I just added a little more water. I have used both chicken and veggie broth as well as using ravioli and tortellini. Came out wonderful using any combination!
That is great, Shari! I love that you use more veggies! Always a good thing. And yes, it is very good with tortellini too. Thank you for the review!