Print

Print Recipe

A cozy and versatile soup featuring refrigerated cheese tortellini in a light tomato-vegetable broth with cream, fresh spinach, and basil, ready in about 25–30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
  • 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
  • 8 ounces cheese tortellini (refrigerated kind)
  • 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

  1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until melted.
  2. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
  3. If using sausage, add and brown it with the onion, then drain any excess fat.
  4. Add minced garlic, stir briefly, then sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, about 1 minute to form a light roux.
  5. Pour in vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and dried basil; season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste.
  6. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, add refrigerated cheese tortellini, and simmer a few minutes until the tortellini are tender and cooked through.
  7. Remove the pot from heat and stir in fresh spinach, grated Parmesan, and cream until combined and the spinach is wilted.
  8. Stir in chopped fresh basil.

Notes

Use refrigerated tortellini for faster cooking and fresher taste; frozen tortellini requires a few extra minutes., When adding flour to onion and garlic, cook about 1 minute to form a light roux for smooth broth., Maintain a gentle simmer to prevent tortellini from breaking apart., Add cream, spinach, and parmesan off the heat or on very low heat to avoid curdling and retain spinach freshness., Reserve some parmesan and basil to sprinkle on top when serving., For added protein, brown sausage or other meat with onions before continuing., Adjust soup thickness by adding cream or broth as needed., For crockpot version, sauté onions (and meat), then cook everything except tortellini, spinach, parmesan, and cream on low 4-5 hours; add tortellini last 30 minutes; stir in spinach, cheese, and cream before serving., Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 3-4 days; cool completely before covering., Freeze soup base (without tortellini, spinach, cream) up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers., Reheat gently on stove and add fresh tortellini, spinach, parmesan, and cream to avoid mushy pasta., Dairy-free options: use dairy-free creamer or canned coconut milk instead of cream, and dairy-free cheese alternative or omit parmesan.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://theproteincook.com/creamy-tortellini-soup/