Description
This creamy Tortellini Soup features tender cheese tortellini in a seasoned vegetable broth enriched with fresh basil, diced tomatoes, and spinach. A comforting and healthy soup ready in under 30 minutes, perfect as a main course or side dish.
Ingredients
Sauté Base
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Broth and Flavorings
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Main Ingredients
- 8 ounces cheese tortellini (refrigerated)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Add olive oil and butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add Garlic and Flour: Stir in minced garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Then sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the mixture and cook for another minute, stirring constantly, to form a roux that will help thicken the soup.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), and tomato sauce. Stir in dried basil and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Cook Tortellini: Add the cheese tortellini to the boiling soup. Cook for a few minutes until the tortellini are tender and cooked through, according to package instructions, usually around 3-5 minutes.
- Finish Soup: Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in fresh spinach leaves, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and heavy cream or half and half until the cheese melts and the soup becomes creamy.
- Add Fresh Basil and Serve: Stir in chopped fresh basil leaves for a burst of fresh flavor. Serve the soup warm, garnished if desired.
Notes
- Sausage Tortellini Soup: Add cooked ground sausage with the onion during the sauté step for extra protein and flavor.
- Extra Vegetables: Incorporate additional produce like celery, shredded carrot, baby broccoli, kale, or zucchini while sautéing the onion to increase vegetable content.
- Crockpot Version: Sauté onion, then add to crockpot with remaining ingredients except tortellini, spinach, parmesan, and cream. Cook 4-5 hours, add tortellini the last 30 minutes, then stir in spinach, parmesan, and cream before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate covered for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze soup up to step 3 before adding tortellini. Cool, freeze up to 3 months. Reheat to boiling, add tortellini, cook until tender, then add spinach, parmesan, and cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
