Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (Print Version)
A hearty blend of cheese tortellini simmered in creamy tomato broth for a warm meal.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
04 - 4 cups vegetable broth
05 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Pasta
07 - 1 package (9 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Finish & Garnish
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
14 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# Preparation Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir in dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Incorporate cheese tortellini into the pot. Simmer 4 to 6 minutes, according to package instructions, until tortellini are tender and float to the surface.
06 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
07 - Adjust seasoning if necessary, ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under 40 minutes—perfect for those nights when you need dinner without the stress.
- The cream melts into the tomatoes creating this silky, deeply savory broth that tastes like you spent hours on it.
- Cheese tortellini does double duty as both pasta and protein, so you only need one pot and minimal sides.
02 -
- Add the cream off the heat or at the gentlest simmer—boiling cream is how you end up with grainy, broken soup instead of the silky dream you're after.
- Taste the broth before the tortellini goes in, because once they're swimming in it, seasoning becomes harder to adjust and you want to be ready.
03 -
- Use refrigerated tortellini instead of dried—they cook faster and taste fresher, cutting your total time down to something genuinely quick.
- Make your own broth or use the good kind you actually like, because it becomes the foundation of everything else in the pot and directly impacts how the finished soup tastes.