Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (Print Version)

Velvety tomato base with cheese tortellini and fresh herbs in a single pot for a quick meal.

# What You Need:

→ Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Tomato & Broth

04 - 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
05 - 4 cups vegetable broth
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Dairy

11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pasta

13 - 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Fresh Herbs & Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
15 - Crusty bread, for serving

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
02 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the tomato paste and combine all liquids. Add dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
03 - Let the soup simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, allowing the herbs and tomatoes to meld together. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
04 - Add refrigerated cheese tortellini directly to the simmering soup. Cook for 5-7 minutes or according to package instructions until pasta is tender and floats to the surface.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese while stirring constantly. Continue stirring until cheese melts completely and soup becomes velvety and smooth.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped basil and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tortellini soak up all that tomatoey goodness while simmering right in the broth
  • It comes together in 35 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • The tortellini will absorb broth as it sits, so leftovers will be thicker
  • Stirring the cream in off the heat prevents it from separating
  • Fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section makes a huge difference
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan for the smoothest integration
  • Save some pasta water if you like a thinner consistency
  • Let the soup rest 5 minutes off heat before serving

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