Creamy Vegetable Tortellini Soup (Printable)

A comforting soup featuring tender cheese tortellini, vibrant vegetables, and a luscious creamy broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed

→ Tortellini

08 - 9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Broth & Cream

09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - ½ cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - ½ teaspoon salt
14 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

16 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and diced zucchini; cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - Add cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions, usually 3 to 5 minutes, until just tender.
05 - Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in heavy cream, milk, dried Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
06 - Add baby spinach and simmer until wilted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Each spoonful delivers both silky broth and tender pasta pockets that burst with cheese, giving you two distinct textures that somehow comfort and excite at the same time.
  • The whole pot comes together in just 40 minutes, which means you can have something that tastes like it simmered all day even on your busiest weeknights.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil after adding the cream or it will separate, leaving you with an unappetizing texture no matter how good it tastes.
  • Adding the spinach at the very last minute keeps it bright green and prevents that overcooked vegetable smell that can overtake the other delicate flavors.
03 -
  • When reheating leftovers, add a splash of fresh broth or milk to restore the original creamy consistency, as the tortellini will have absorbed some liquid overnight.
  • If you find yourself without heavy cream, a mixture of 3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup melted butter whisked together creates a remarkably similar substitute that works perfectly in this recipe.
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