Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
This is the soup I make when it gets cold enough to want something rich but I still want dinner on the table in under thirty minutes.
Cheese tortellini cooks right in the pot, so the starch it releases is what thickens the broth into something closer to a stew than a soup.
A loaf of crusty bread on the side is non-negotiable — you will want something to get the last of the broth.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer.
3. Add the tortellini and simmer according to the package time, stirring occasionally so it does not stick.
4. Lower the heat and stir in the cream, spinach, and parmesan. Cook 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
5. Stir in the basil, taste for salt and pepper, and serve with more parmesan.
Notes from our kitchen
Fresh or thawed tortellini cooks in 3-4 minutes and holds its shape better than frozen-straight-in — if using frozen, add a few extra minutes and expect a slightly thicker broth from the extra starch.
Nutrition per serving
Storage, reheating & swaps
Questions readers ask
Yes. Cook it separately per the package and stir it in at the end — dried tortellini takes longer than the broth needs to simmer.
Cream soups with pasta do not freeze well — the tortellini gets mushy and the cream can separate on reheating. Best fresh or refrigerated.
Yes, leave it out for a lighter tomato-basil soup with tortellini. It will be thinner and brighter rather than rich.
★★★★★My kids do not usually eat soup and they cleaned their bowls. Will be on repeat all winter.