Creamy Vegetable Tortellini Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting soup with cheese tortellini, fresh vegetables, and creamy broth ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup baby spinach, packed

→ Tortellini

08 - 9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Broth & Cream

09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup milk

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

16 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and diced zucchini; cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - Add cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions, usually 3–5 minutes, until just tender.
05 - Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in heavy cream, milk, dried Italian herbs, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
06 - Add spinach and simmer until wilted, approximately 1–2 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in forty minutes flat, so weeknight panic becomes weeknight triumph.
  • The cream transforms simple broth into something that feels indulgent without requiring fancy skills.
  • Vegetables get soft enough to surrender to the broth, but the tortellini stays plump and satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip the simmering step before adding cream; it gives the vegetables time to actually soften, so they don't crunch in your spoon.
  • Add the cream slowly and keep the heat moderate, because high heat and dairy are a temperamental pair that can break your soup in a heartbeat.
03 -
  • Taste the tortellini before committing to cooking the full time on the package; every brand is slightly different, and you want them tender, not mushy.
  • Keep the heat moderate when the cream goes in; high heat and dairy will break your soup, but low heat and patience will perfect it.
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