Description
Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup is a comforting and rich soup featuring a smooth tomato base blended to perfection, tender cheese tortellini, and fresh spinach, all finished with a touch of cream and parmesan cheese. This hearty soup is perfect for an easy weeknight meal that feels gourmet.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauté Base
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Main Ingredients
- 4 cups cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
- ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half, plus more to taste
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
Serving
- Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning, stirring for another 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the roux and add liquids: Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat everything evenly. Gradually pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, stirring continuously until the flour dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Add the canned diced tomatoes with all their juices. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover partially. Let simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Blend the soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches and blend until smooth, then return to the pot. Add more broth if the soup is too thick.
- Season the soup: Stir in granulated sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes, adding a little more if needed, ¼ teaspoon at a time, to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
- Cook the tortellini: Add the cheese tortellini to the simmering soup. Cook with the lid partially covered for 8 to 10 minutes according to package instructions, or a few minutes longer if using frozen tortellini until tender.
- Add cream and spinach: Stir in the heavy cream or half-and-half to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more broth to reach your desired consistency. Add the fresh baby spinach and simmer for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Serve: Allow the soup to cool slightly before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy your creamy, comforting tomato tortellini soup!
Notes
- This recipe works best with fresh tortellini or frozen tortellini for best texture and flavor.
- An immersion blender is highly recommended for safely blending soup directly in the pot, reducing mess and hassle.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Tortellini may soften over time, so consider adding fresh tortellini when reheating.
- For freezing, freeze only the soup base (without cream, tortellini, or spinach) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, and add tortellini, cream, and spinach fresh.
- Alternatively, freeze the soup base with cooked tortellini (without cream or spinach) for up to 3 months. Reheat and add cream and spinach before serving.
- Substitutions: Use canned whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes if diced are unavailable. You can substitute tortellini flavors as desired.
- Enhance with add-ins like cooked crumbled sausage, mushrooms, kale, or fresh basil for variations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
