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If cozy, creamy soups are your love language, this Creamy Tortellini Soup recipe needs to be on your dinner list. It’s rich but not heavy, packed with cheese tortellini and Parmesan, and comes together in one pot in about 30 minutes. This is the kind of vegetarian comfort food you’ll want to make on repeat all winter long.
Love creamy soup recipes? You need to try our Creamy lentil Soup as well as our Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup and our Vegan Butternut Squash Soup!
Why you’ll love this one pot creamy soup
It is officially soup girl season and with snow on the ground pretty much around the whole country (except where I am sadly), we all need a big cozy bowl of SOUP! This is an easy dinner that feels a little elevated and fancy but really it comes together SO FAST, in one pot, and with just about 30 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Creamy and comforting without being too heavy
- Made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients
- Vegetarian but still super filling
- Perfect for chilly nights, lazy dinners, or meal prep lunches
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this cheese tortellini soup recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Yellow onion – Finely diced so it melts into the broth.
- Garlic – Fresh is best here for flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Thickens the soup just enough to give it a creamy, hearty texture.
- Tomato paste – Adds depth and richness without turning this into a tomato-based soup.
- Vegetable broth – Use a low-sodium broth so you can control the salt level. Chicken broth or bone broth also work well if not vegetarian!
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning for a simple way to add herby flavor without overthinking it. Red pepper flakes. Plus salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cheese tortellini – Refrigerated tortellini pasta works best for texture and flavor. Any flavor of tortellini will work well in this recipe.
- Heavy cream – Just a little goes a long way; start small and add more as needed. Cashew cream or unsweetened lite coconut milk work well for a dairy free substitute.
- Spinach – Optional, but a nice way to sneak in greens. kale would also taste great.
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated melts best and adds salty, savory richness. Use vegan parmesan cheese to keep it dairy free.
- Fresh herbs – Basil or parsley to brighten everything up at the end.
- Optional ad in – A can of diced tomatoes is delicious in this soup! I add it in with the broth
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil + butter. Sprinkle on the flour, slowly, and cook for about a minute. Add in the tomato paste, mix, and let cook for a few more minutes.
- Pour in the broth and mix in the Italian seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for about 8 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the tortellini and stir to combine. Simmer for a couple more minutes and then mix in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese.
- Add in the spinach and cook until it’s wilted and cooked. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
- Stir constantly when adding the broth to avoid any flour lumps.
- This soup thickens as it sits – add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.
- Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat to keep it smooth.
- If your tortellini cooks quickly, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too soft.
- Serve it with CRUSTY BREAD for an overall satisfying and filling meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or start with just ¼ cup of cream and adjust to taste!
White beans, such as great northern beans, or chickpeas would be great additions and keep it vegetarian. If not vegetarian, meat filled tortellini would work or you could add in cooked crumbled sausage or ground chicken.
Yes – just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time and keep the soup at a gentle simmer.
Easy Creamy Tortellini Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth, chicken or bone broth also work well
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 9–10 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- ½ cup heavy cream, start with ¼ cup and add more as needed
- 2 cups baby spinach, optional
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well to coat everything evenly. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste (don’t let it brown). Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until incorporated and slightly deepened in color.
- Simmer the soup. Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add the Italian seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the tortellini. Add the tortellini directly to the pot and simmer according to package directions, usually 3–5 minutes, until tender.
- Make it creamy. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, starting with ¼ cup. Add more if desired. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Finish & serve. Add the spinach and let it wilt, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
