Tomato Tortellini Soup
This comforting Tomato Tortellini Soup comes together in one pot, in just 30 minutes! It’s flavorful and rich without being too heavy, and since it comes together so quickly it’s perfect mid-week when I’m bogged down and want something nourishing for dinner but don’t have the time to anything elaborate.
Table of contents
This Easy Soup Is a Weeknight Staple in Our House
Classic tomato soup is one of my favorites, but add some cheesy tortellini to it? Even better!
This simple recipe is so rich and hearty that it tastes like it’s been simmering for hours. The truth? It only takes about 30 minutes to whip up!
I love a low-stress recipe with a high reward at the end, and easy one-pot soup recipes like this are especially perfect for busy weeknights. If you want to get really wild, throw a grilled cheese on the side and really lean into cozy comfort food!
If you love tomato soup as much as I do, you’ll turn to this creamy tomato and tortellini soup over and over again!
Tools Needed
Grab These Basic Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Butter. Butter starts the base of this soup and helps us build the roux.
- Onion and Garlic. Always a must in tomato soup!
- Spices. Dried oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper add flavor to the tomato soup.
- Tomato Paste. Tomato paste adds tons of concentrated, rich tomato flavor.
- Crushed tomatoes. Use high-quality canned crushed tomatoes, like San Marzano.
- Broth. I always use homemade chicken stock here because I’m not vegetarian, but you can easily use vegetable broth too.
- Tortellini. The type of tortellini is totally up to you! I like the fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section and I used the spinach-ricotta flavor here.
- Sugar. This is the secret ingredient! A little bit of sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Heavy cream. Adding heavy cream makes the tomato soup super creamy. I don’t recommend substituting anything lower fat (except maybe half and half), otherwise it’ll curdle in the soup.
- Fresh basil. Optional, but I love adding fresh basil to my tomato soup!
Jenny’s Tip: Trader Joe’s has an amazing selection of tortellini in their refrigerated section, but you can also opt for frozen tortellini. The only kind of tortellini I’d avoid is the dried tortellini in the pasta section. I find that they aren’t as flavorful and the texture isn’t as great as the fresh tortellini.
How to Make Tomato Soup with Tortellini
- Sauté the onions and garlic. Cooking the aromatics and spices in melted butter tames the sharp bite of the onion and wakes up the flavors in the spices.
- Make the roux. Making a roux is a simple process of adding flour into the butter mixture and cooking it for a few minutes to remove the raw flour flavor. That’s it!
- Add the broth and crushed tomatoes. In my recipe testing, I found it best to add the broth in increments, stirring between additions, to prevent the flour from clumping up.
- Simmer. This soup has a very short simmer time (just 10 minutes!), but since the pasta hasn’t been added yet you’re welcome to let it cook for as long as you need.
- Add the tortellini and cream last. Fresh tortellini cook very quickly, and you’ll know they’re done when they float to the top of the soup.
Recipe Variations
Think of this tomato basil tortellini soup as a blueprint for using up with you’ve got in the fridge. It’s a base recipe that you can very easily adjust to your tastes and to what you have on hand. Here are my favorite ways to customize this recipe:
- Add a protein. I love this as a cozy vegetarian recipe, but if you want to make it heartier, you can! Cooking up some spicy Italian sausage with the onions and garlic adds tons of flavor. Or you could add some meatballs, vegetarian sausage or tempeh, or even some leftover shredded, cooked chicken. The sky is the limit!
- Add veggies. Toss in some hearty lacinato kale or spinach, or add some chopped carrots and peppers. I love cabbage so I’ve made a variation where I saute a bunch of chopped cabbage with the onions and garlic. Adding veggies adds some extra fiber and really bulks up the soup.
- Use different herbs. Fresh thyme, oregano, or parsley would all work well in this soup. Using a blend of herbs will deliver a more complex flavor, while sticking to just one will create a simpler soup.
Play around with the recipe and add things that you love and make you feel good!
Side Dish Suggestions
Since there’s pasta in the soup already, I like to pair it with a leafy side salad for freshness. Sometimes I’ll serve bread on the side too!
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag@JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Hearty Soup Recipes to Try Now
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Lasagna Soup
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Tomato Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 16 oz fresh or frozen tortellini
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn torn
- kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. Melt the butter over medium heat in a 4 qt dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the dried oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
- Cook the tomato paste and flour. Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to incorporate. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 more minutes. This help cooks the flour a bit.
- Simmer. Add the broth 1 cup at a time while stirring so that there are no clumps of flour. Bring to a simmer and then add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and cream. Bring to a simmer and then add the tortellini. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then stir in the torn basil.
- Garnish and serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more basil and a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
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