Creamy Vegetable Tortellini Soup (Printable)

Comforting soup with tender cheese tortellini, vibrant vegetables, and creamy broth. Ready in 40 minutes for a satisfying weeknight meal.

# 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 whole 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, optional
17 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced 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 to 5 minutes, until just tender.
05 - Lower heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in heavy cream, milk, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
06 - Add spinach and simmer until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, which means dinner can happen on even the busiest nights without any stressed cooking.
  • The cream makes everything taste indulgent while the fresh vegetables keep it from feeling heavy or one-note.
  • Cheese tortellini does the work for you—no need to season plain pasta when those little pockets are already bursting with flavor.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil hard after you've added the cream—gentle simmering keeps everything smooth and prevents the cream from breaking or separating.
  • The tortellini will continue to soften slightly even after you remove it from heat, so pull it from the pot when it still feels slightly firm in the center.
  • Taste before you finish; soup seasons as it sits, and you might need less salt than you think you do.
03 -
  • Keep your broth warm in a separate pot if you have space; adding cold broth to the pan slows down cooking and can shock the vegetables.
  • Don't crowd the pot when you're sautéing the vegetables—give them room to release their moisture and actually soften instead of steam themselves.
  • Make extra and freeze it before adding the cream; thaw and reheat gently with fresh cream added at the end for a quick future dinner.
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