butternut squash tortellini soup with mini meatballs
early access to a new fall soup recipe + the weekly 2-2-2
Happy Sunday! I know you’re probably prepping week 3 of this month’s plan today (the high-protein bbq chicken flatbread is my current obsession), but can I add on a dinner idea to whip up this week while I have you?
If you’ve been following along, we’re deep into my 10 Days of Fall Dinners series and today’s newsletter is giving you all—my wonderful Substack subscribers—early access to a brand new, cozy, delicious fall recipe before it hits on day 10 later this week: Butternut Squash Tortellini Soup with Mini Meatballs. And for all 10 recipes in one easy-to-access post at the end, you’ll have that in your inbox on Wednesday!
I can’t believe we’re now four months out from Don’t Think About Dinner’s pub day 🤓 Here’s your reminder to go pre-order it now to lock in your copy and the low price while it’s on sale! You won’t be charged until the book ships in January.
This isn’t your typical blended squash soup. The squash stays cubed for hearty, stew-like vibes, and the mini meatballs make every bite a little more fun, protein-packed, and easier to eat. This soup is full of protein, fiber, and plenty of veg: sweet butternut squash, Italian chicken sausage (spicy or sweet, your call), all the savory fall herbs, coconut milk for creaminess, and a handful of spinach for good measure.
Make a big pot for a cozy weeknight dinner or prep it ahead for a week of satisfying lunches. In today’s newsletter, you’ll get the full recipe, swaps & subs, and my best tips for tackling that squash (or a solid argument for going pre-chopped).
🧡 Missed the earlier recipes? Catch up on the first 7 days of Fall Dinners here.
Now let’s get cooking!
Sheet Pan Prep. One of my favorite tricks for soup prep is using a sheet pan to get a head start on the cooking. For this recipe, we roast the squash and bake the mini meatballs together on one pan (less cleanup 🤝 more flavor). While they cook, you can get the soup base going on the stove so everything comes together at the same time. The squash gets tossed with a savory mix of fall herbs—oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary—so it comes out perfectly seasoned and ready to drop right into the pot.
“That smells so goood!” -what everyone will say when you get to this step! While the squash and sausage bake, brown the onion and garlic with a little bit of olive oil—this is where whoever you live with will say wow that smells sooo good!! Or maybe you’ll think or say it to yourself—it really does smell good though. Once lightly browned, add the tomato paste, this gives a nice color and slight tang to the soup. Give her a good stir to combine.
Let’s make soup. Once your onion and garlic bits are all browned, it’s time to add the liquids—broth and coconut milk. We’re using 3/4 cup of full-fat coconut milk (shake it well before measuring!) You can swap for 3/4 cup of light cream or ~1/2 cup of heavy cream. Bring her to a boil, then add the tortellini, and cook until the tortellini floats to the top. Try not to overcook the torts—the pasta will absorb the liquid and soften as the soup sits so it’s key to not overcook from the get-go to avoid mushy leftovers.
Assemble the soup. Add the cooked meatballs and butternut squash as well as a hearty bunch of baby spinach (or shredded curly kale). Give it a biiiig stir to combine, and let it cook over medium-low heat until the spinach is wilted—doesn’t take long! Serve with grated parm on top, always measure with your heart here. For a dairy-free option, use nutritional yeast or just leave it off!
butternut squash tortellini soup with mini meatballs
serves 4 | prep time: 30 min | cook time: 50 min
INGREDIENTS
For the spice mix:
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
For the sheet pan:
4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (about 1 medium squash, diced into 1/2-inch cubes or 20 ounces precut squash)
olive oil
1 pound ground Italian chicken sausage (spicy or sweet)
For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (or light cream)
9 ounces tortellini pasta (I use this GF tortellini)
3 cups baby spinach or shredded curly kale
nutritional yeast or grated parmesan (optional), for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the basil, oregano, salt, thyme, black pepper, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Divide the mix in half and set both small bowls aside.
Add the diced butternut squash to the prepared sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and one half of spice mix (one small bowl), and toss to coat. Spread out in one even layer.
With lightly oiled hands, form the ground chicken sausage into evenly sized 1/2-tablespoon meatballs, and nestle on the sheet pan between the squash, avoiding overlap. Bake until the squash is lightly browned and tender and the sausage meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165ºF, 20 to 24 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the soup: heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring often until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and remaining spice mix and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until deep red and incorporated into the onion mixture, another 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth, coconut milk (or cream), and 2 cups of water, and increase the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, add the tortellini and cook until it rises to the top, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Transfer the cooked sheet pan components to the soup pot along with the spinach or kale. Stir gently to combine and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Salt to taste.
Remove the pot from the heat and serve in bowls with grated parmesan or nutritional yeast on top (if using).
Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months
Reheat it: Microwave until warmed, about 2 minutes, or return to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
get the printable recipe here
If you’re looking for your next easy dinner inspo, make this one and share it! I always love seeing your pics in our chat.
Recipe Notes
Chicken Sausage: Some grocery stores carry ground chicken or pork sausage, some don’t! If yours doesn’t, you can grab a pack of 5-6 sausage links and remove the casings before shaping into meatballs. Alternatively, slice the sausage links into 1/4-inch thick rounds or dice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces and cook on the sheet pan. If you dice the sausage smaller, it may need less time than the squash, add it on when there are 10 minutes remaining. You can also cook separately from the squash in a saute pan.
Save energy: Instead of shaping the meatballs, opt for using the ground sausage as-is. Add it to the pot with the onions and cook until browned. You can also opt for pre-cooked, sliced chicken sausage.
Vegetarian: Swap the chicken broth for low-sodium vegetable broth and use 2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini or great northern beans.
Make it creamy: If you prefer a creamy butternut squash soup, I’ve got you covered here.
Tortellini: Depending on whether you use gluten-free tortellini, the package size can vary. I use this brand which comes in a 9-ounce package. Anywhere from 8 to 12 ounces of tortellini will work! If you have more than that, the pot may get too crowded and you’ll need about 1/2 cup more liquid to accommodate.
prepping the squash
I recently shared a note welcoming the season of the hardest veggie to chop—squash—and it resonated with a lot of you. You know it’s fall when you gotta break out the biggest knife you have and wrestle your way through dicing a butternut squash. Or, you can take the easy route and buy pre-chopped! If you opt to buy whole, here are some tips to save you energy:
Trim and halve for stability. Skip the veggie peeler, unless you have a really really good one! Instead, cut off about 1/2-inch from the top and bottom of the squash, then slice it in half where the skinny neck meets the round bottom.
Peel with your knife: Starting with one half, carefully slice off the squash skin from top to bottom until the entire squash is peeled. Move on to the second half and repeat. Once the second half is peeled, slice it in half and remove the seeds. Now you can dice to your heart’s content!
Peel after slicing: For the “neck” piece: Stand it upright and slice down into slabs, then cut into sticks, then cubes. Slice the small bit of outer skin off each cube. For the bottom: Slice in half, scoop the seeds, then cut into half-moons, then chop into chunks. Slice the small bit of outer skin off each cube.
Size: It’s tempting to get the largest squash, especially when it’s sold per piece and not per pound. I usually aim for 1 medium squash, but 2 smaller also works. Working with two smaller squash will be a lot less stressful!
Sharpen those knives: It truly does make all the difference and trying to dice a squash with a dull knife can actually turn dangerous!
Roast before dicing: You can also roast the squash before you dice, just slice it in half down the middle, scoop out the seeds, and roast, face down for about 25-30 minutes.
Any tips I missed?
what I’m prepping
High-Protein Barbecue Chicken Flatbread — I can’t wait for you to make this one for week 3 of the September Prep Plan!
Chocolate Banana Bread Chia Pudding — Sweet breakfasts have been on rotation recently and this one might taste closer to dessert than breakfast.
what I’m loving
Under eye patches — The last two months have been full of travel, these Jet Lag eye patches truly got me through late night and early morning flights.
Spindrift Cranberry Punch — Been a long time lover of Sprindrift and this cran punch flavor is giving early thanksgiving vibes (too soon??)
what I’m recommending
Sally’s Baking 101 — Sally is an OG recipe developer, if there’s a baking recipe you’re looking for chances are she’s go it on her website. This book is truly incredible!!
“Lazy” Meal Prep — Dove into what and how to prep when you just reallyyyy can’t bring yourself to do it. Loads of easy prep options & a fun printout you can reference!
I hope you all have a lovely week, and be sure to stay tuned over on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to see what I have for y’all this upcoming week!
This is calling to me!
happy butternut squash season!!