This right here is your new favorite meal prep lunch. These cheesy tortellini soup jars are hearty, cozy, and ready to go when you are—just pour in boiling water, let them sit, and boom: lunch is served. I like to prep three at a time, stash them in the fridge, and enjoy warm, filling lunches all week without even turning on the stove.
With sausage, cheesy tortellini, fire-roasted tomatoes, lemon zest, and spinach layered up in a mason jar, they’re like a hug in soup form. Bonus: they travel well and make excellent work-from-home or back-to-the-office lunches.
How to Meal Prep It:
This whole process takes about 20 minutes max if you time it right. Here’s the flow:
- Boil the tortellini in salted water for 5 minutes. You want them slightly undercooked since they’ll finish softening in the hot water later. Drain and let cool.
- Brown the sausage in a skillet, crumbling it as it cooks. Once fully cooked, set aside to cool.
- Assemble the jars in layers so everything stays fresh and ready for hydration magic later. Here’s the order, from bottom to top:
- 1 bouillon cube
- Cooked sausage
- Fire-roasted tomatoes (juice and all)
- Tortellini
- Spinach
- Lemon zest and juice
- 1 bouillon cube
- Screw the lids on tight and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Boil, Stir, and Enjoy
When hunger strikes:
- Pour boiling water into the jar, just until everything is fully submerged.
- Screw the lid back on and let the jar sit for 10–12 minutes. The hot water will soften the tortellini the rest of the way and warm everything through.
- Unscrew, stir, and serve. I like to pour mine into a bowl, but you can eat it right from the jar if you’re on the go. (Just be careful—it’s hot!)
Why I Love This Meal Prep
This is my kind of weekday hack: minimal effort, maximum comfort. You can prep these jars in under 30 minutes, they hold up beautifully in the fridge, and they’re 100x better than a sad desk salad. Plus, they give major “I’ve got my life together” energy even if your laundry pile says otherwise.
Here’s what else you could add to this Tortellini and Sausage soup:
- Want to skip the sausage? Sub in cooked chicken, white beans, or keep it veggie with extra spinach and tomatoes.
- No fire-roasted tomatoes? Regular canned diced tomatoes work fine.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or dried herbs if you want to punch up the flavor.
- parmesan
- cooked onions
- corn
- diced mushrooms
- you could even stir in some cream cheese and heavy cream at the end to get a soup like this Creamy Tortellini Crockpot soup.
The possibilities are endless, my friends.
Now go forth and soup!
Tortellini and Sausage Soup in a Jar
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 bouillon cube chicken or beef
- 1.5 pound sweet Italian sausage casing removed
- 14 oz canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups frozen mini cheese tortellini
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Zest and juice of one lemon or ¼ cup lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prep Ahead:
- Bring a salted pot of water to boil and add the tortellini in.
- Cook the tortellini for 5 minutes, until just before they’re fully cooked. Remove and drain.
- While the tortellini is boiling, cook and crumble the Italian sausage. Set aside to cool.
- Layer the jars like so, beginning with the bottom:
- Bouillon cube
- Italian sausage
- Canned tomatoes
- Tortellini
- Spinach
- Lemon zest and juice
- Screw the lids on the jars and store until ready to eat.
Prepare From Prepped:
- When ready to eat, pour boiling water into the jar, until all ingredients are covered.
- Screw on the lid and let the soup “cook” for 10-12 minutes
- Unscrew the lid and give the soup a god stir, combining the ingredients.
- Pour into a bowl and enjoy!
7 Easy Steps for Meal Plan Beginners