Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup (Printable)

Rich tomato broth with cheese tortellini and cream, garnished with basil for a cozy, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

04 - 4 cups vegetable broth
05 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Pasta

07 - 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Finish & Garnish

13 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
14 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes. Add dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir thoroughly and bring to a gentle boil.
04 - Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
05 - Add cheese tortellini to the pot. Simmer 4 to 6 minutes or until tortellini float and are tender.
06 - Lower heat and stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, avoiding boiling.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • One pot means minimal cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner instead of scrubbing dishes.
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like it simmered for hours.
  • The cheese tortellini does double duty as both your protein and your starch, so you're honestly just done after one bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial simmer of the broth and tomatoes before adding the tortellini—those ten minutes let the dried herbs fully bloom and make the whole difference between good and actually restaurant-quality.
  • The moment you add the cream, turn the heat down and keep it gentle because cream breaks when it boils, and broken soup is sad soup.
03 -
  • If you're out of fresh basil, the dried stuff is fine, but if you're serving it and want to feel like you actually tried, grab fresh for the garnish—it's the easiest way to look impressive.
  • Keep the heat medium the whole time and listen for little bubbles rather than a rolling boil; this keeps the texture tender and the cream from splitting.

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