Tomato Tortellini Soup (Printable version)

A comforting blend of tomato broth, cheese tortellini, and fresh vegetables warming the soul.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced

→ Broth & Tomatoes

06 - 4 cups vegetable broth
07 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Pasta

09 - 9 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Finish & Garnish

16 - 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
17 - Fresh basil for garnish
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# How To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Incorporate tomato paste, dried basil, oregano, thyme, and sugar if using. Cook for 1 minute to release aromas.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring mixture to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Add tortellini to the pot and simmer uncovered for 4 to 6 minutes until tender, following package instructions.
07 - Stir in spinach or kale and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
08 - Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh basil and optional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just 35 minutes, which means real comfort food on even the busiest weeknights without the stress.
  • The cheese-filled tortellini melts into little pockets of richness while the tomato broth wraps around everything like a warm hug.
  • You can literally taste the herbs doing their job—there's something almost meditative about how basil and oregano transform simple ingredients into something memorable.
02 -
  • Don't add the tortellini until you've let the broth simmer for its full 10 minutes—if you rush this, the soup tastes flat and one-dimensional instead of deeply flavorful.
  • Fresh or refrigerated tortellini will cook in 4 to 6 minutes, but frozen ones need a bit longer; always check your package and don't assume—undercooked tortellini are tough, overcooked ones burst.
  • Taste your soup before serving and adjust seasonings boldly; a pinch more salt and pepper at the end makes everything taste more like itself.
03 -
  • Bloom your dried herbs in the tomato paste for 1 minute before adding liquid—this single step is what separates a good soup from one that tastes like something remembered rather than tasted.
  • If your tomatoes taste acidic, that pinch of sugar isn't cheating; it's balancing, and it lets all the other flavors step forward instead of being overshadowed by tartness.

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