Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (Printable)
Comforting, creamy tomato base paired with cheese tortellini and fresh spinach for an easy warm meal.
# What's Needed:
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
→ Soup Base
06 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Dairy & Tortellini
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 9 oz package cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
14 - 4 cups baby spinach leaves
→ Finishing Touches
15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
16 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add dried basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and black pepper.
04 - Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
05 - Add cheese tortellini to the pot and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until tender and cooked through.
06 - Lower heat to low, stir in heavy cream and baby spinach. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach wilts and soup gains a creamy texture.
07 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve hot.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- Everything happens in one pot, which means one pan to wash and your whole dinner on the table before 6 PM.
- The cream swirled into bright tomato base creates this luxurious texture that makes you feel like you're eating something fancy, but it's absurdly simple.
- Cheese tortellini does the heavy lifting—you're not boiling pasta separately, it cooks right in the broth and absorbs all the flavor.
02 -
- Don't skip the ten-minute simmer before adding the tortellini—it seems like wasted time but it's when all the dried herbs actually release their flavor into the broth.
- Add the cream last and keep the heat low after it goes in, or it can separate and create a grainy texture instead of that silky finish you're after.
- Fresh or refrigerated tortellini cook much faster than frozen, so read your package and don't let them overcook or they'll fall apart.
03 -
- Toast your dried herbs in the hot oil for thirty seconds before adding the wet ingredients—it deepens their flavor significantly and is a trick that works in almost any soup.
- Save a little of the pasta water before draining, and keep some near the stove while cooking; if the soup gets too thick, a splash brings it back to the right consistency without diluting the flavor.