This 5-star tortellini soup is lusciously creamy! It’s easy and under 30 minutes, with big flavor from tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan.
Here’s a soup that will make people come flocking and might result in a few marriage proposals: this creamy tortellini soup! This might be one of our top favorites over here. You can make it in under 30 minutes, and the flavor that results is simply divine.
Tomatoes, basil, Parmesan and cream make a lusciously flavored broth that floats with doughy orbs of tortellini. In fact, Alex and I put down our spoons in amazement at first bite! Now it’s a family favorite recipe we make again and again.
Key ingredients in tortellini soup
There are many ways to make a tortellini soup. A traditional Italian way to serve it is called tortellini en brodo, where the filled pasta floats in a simple broth. For our spin, we went for a tomato-basil-meets-tortellini vibe, where a creamy tomato broth provides the backdrop for the delightful doughy pasta. Here’s what you’ll need for this Italian soup:
- Refrigerated tortellini pasta (tortelloni): The pasta you’ll need here is actually tortelloni: a large version of tortellini with a filled center! It’s sold in the refrigerated and frozen section in the grocery store (avoid using dried).
- Fire roasted tomatoes are a type of canned tomato that’s cooked over an open flame before canning. It makes the flavor beautifully sweet out of the can, instead of acidic like many canned tomato varieties. This type of tomatoes are becoming pretty easy to find in grocery stores in the US; they’re sold by several brands. Look in the canned tomatoes section. If you can’t find them, substitute the best quality canned tomatoes you can find.
- Heavy cream or whole milk: This soup tastes best with heavy cream to make it creamy, but you can substitute whole milk if desired. See below!
Using heavy cream vs whole milk
Our recipes are generally Mediterranean diet recipes on the healthy side, so you won’t often see us cooking with heavy cream. But there are always exceptions and this creamy tortellini soup is one of them. Adding cream to a soup adds an intense richness, depth, and body of the soup that just can’t be replicated by 2% milk.
As a substitute, you can use whole milk or half and half instead. Heavy cream is 36% milkfat, whereas half and half is 10% and whole milk is 3%. So these types of dairy have significantly less fat than heavy cream. Pick whatever seems right for you!
Tortellini soup variations for any diet: vegetarian, vegan & more
This recipe is a vegetarian tortellini soup: assuming you use tortellini with no meat! It’s one of those recipes you wouldn’t think of being vegetarian…because it’s so packed with flavor. People of any diet love this one (promise!). You can also make it vegan, or add Italian sausage for meat eaters. Here are a few options:
- Vegetarian tortellini soup: This is already vegetarian: just use a cheese or spinach ravioli!
- Vegan tortellini soup: Buy vegan tortellini: there are some great brands out there these days! Then substitute Cashew Cream for the heavy cream and Parmesan.
- Gluten free tortellini soup: Use gluten free tortellini. Again, there are some great options out there these days.
- Sausage tortellini soup: Cook 1 pound Italian sausage in the pan until browned, about 3 minutes, draining the fat as necessary. Then make the remaining soup, using slightly less salt.
Let us know your favorite gluten free or vegan tortellini brands in the comments below! We’d love to know your recommendations.
Side dish ideas
This tortellini soup is delicious and satisfying, but not quite filling enough on its own to be a meal. We’d suggest pairing it with a salad or grilled cheese to make a full meal. Here are some ideas:
Storing leftovers and make ahead tips
This tortellini soup is best hot from the stove! But if you have leftovers or want to make it ahead, we’ve got some tips.
- Store leftovers refrigerated, noting that the pasta soaks up the broth. The pasta soaks up even more of the broth when you refrigerate, so it can become very thick. You may want to add a splash of water when reheating.
- Make the soup ahead without the tortellini. If you make it ahead, make it without the tortellini and refrigerate. Then heat it up and cook the tortellini right before serving.
Want more recipes with tortellini? Try Easy Tortelloni, Tortellini Salad or 15 Easy Tortellini Recipes (that use tortelloni!).
Dietary notes
This tortellini soup recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free or vegan, see variations above.
Creamy Tortellini Soup (30 minutes!)
This 5-star tortellini soup is lusciously creamy! It’s easy and under 30 minutes, with big flavor from tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
- 1 small yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28-ounce fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 cups baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach), packed
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves (about 6 to 8 large leaves)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half and half or whole milk)*
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 to 16 ounces frozen or refrigerated tortellini, any flavor
- Dice the onion. Mince the garlic.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 to 6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, herbs and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach, basil leaves, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Bring to simmer and add the tortellini. Cook according to the package instructions: about 2 to 3 minutes for refrigerated and 3 to 5 minutes for frozen. Taste and add additional salt as desired (we added another ¼ teaspoon). Serve immediately.
- Make ahead and storage: Store leftovers refrigerated. The pasta does soak up quite a bit of the broth, so you may want to add a splash of water when reheating. If you make it ahead, we recommend making the soup without the tortellini; then heat it up and cook the pasta right before serving.
Notes
*Vegan variation: use vegan tortellini and substitute ½ cup Cashew Cream for the heavy cream and Parmesan, adding more to taste as desired.
