Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup is a super easy vegetarian meal that is packed full of tomatoes, seasonings, and cheesy tortellini! It’s a really quick meal that comes together in a cinch. It’s comforting but not too heavy. Perfect for those chilly evenings. Delicious paired with a simple Greek Salad and some Homemade Garlic Bread.

Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

I’m pretty sure this basic tortellini soup is magical. My husband and children LOVED it. Like, “are you going to finish your bowl?” loved it. It was a nice change from just plain ol’ tomato soup plus it’s hearty and filling….which is hard to achieve when cooking vegetarian.

The secret is finding the balance between the acidity of the tomatoes and finding that salty balance. Since different canned tomatoes have different acidity levels, you’ll have to go back and forth a bit with adding a little sugar, then a little salt to get it just right. But after you get it right where you want it, oh mama it’s GOOD! So so delicious with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. I know you’ll love it, too!

Tortellini Soup Ingredients

You don’t need much to create this incredible Tortellini Soup! Here is everything you’ll need:

• Olive Oil + Garlic – a great soup starts with a great base and these two ensures just that.
• Tomatoes – I used canned diced tomatoes for this recipe, super simple and quick.
• Vegetable Broth – if you are sticking to the vegetarian lifestyle, stick with the vegetable broth. If not, chicken broth will do just as well.
• Sugar – sugar is used to cut some of the acidity from the tomatoes.
• Basil, Oregano, and Bay Leaf – all three of these seasonings give so much depth to the soup. The longer the broth simmers, the tastier it becomes.
• Salt and Pepper – and don’t forget to season as you go!
• Cheese Tortellini – you are welcome to buy any kind of fresh tortellini, but I stuck with the plain cheese because that’s what my kids will eat.
• Parmesan Cheese – I topped the whole thing off with some freshly grated parmesan and some fresh basil too!

Looking for even more vegetarian recipes? Here’s a few to try: Vegetarian Black Quinoa Taco Salad, Grilled Vegetarian Burritos, and Vegetarian Fajitas.

How to Make Tortellini Soup

Super simple recipe here. Saute some garlic in olive oil, add in the canned tomatoes, broth and seasonings and then simmer. Once the broth is where you want it, add in the tortellini and serve! For full details and increments, scroll down to the printable recipe card below.

1. In a large pot, cook garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Pour in tomatoes, broth, sugar, and spices. Simmer gently until flavorful. Taste and adjust seasonings.
3. A couple of minutes before serving, pour in tortellini and stir. Once tortellini is puffed, soft, and floating, they are done and you are ready to serve.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

Variations

Enjoy this tortellini soup recipe as is or spice it up with some fun variations! Here are a couple of ideas:

• Meat: consider adding some protein: chicken, Italian sausage or even meatballs! Simply cook with the garlic before adding in the tomatoes and broth.
• Vegetables: add chopped baby kale or spinach in the last couple of minutes of cooking (with the tortellini) until wilted. You could also sneak in some shredded carrots for your kids too!
• Make it Spicy: if you are looking for spice, try adding red pepper flakes while cooking your garlic. Doing this adds so much warmth!
• See 30 ideas for What to Serve with Cheese Tortellini

Making ahead and Storing

So, the thing about any soup made with pasta is that pasta will keep absorbing liquid, even in the fridge. So if you’re wanting to make this in advance for a meal in the future, I’d recommend making the tomato soup up until you’re ready to add in the tortellini. Simply cool, package and store the tomato broth in the fridge for up to 4 days before serving. To complete, add broth to a pot and bring to simmer. Add in cheese tortellini and cook until puffed and soft. Serve!

If you’re simply storing leftovers, just be aware that your soup might not have as much broth left because the tortellini has absorbed a lot of it. To remedy this problem, simply add in a splash or two of water to get some of that broth back while reheating in the microwave.

Do I have to use Tortellini?

No! Any kind of pasta would work in place of this. Any kind of fresh tortellini is good to use but a short cut pasta, like rotini, macaroni or ditalini would work just fine in place, but wouldn’t be as filling because it doesn’t have any cheese. Even broken up spaghetti will work well, too!

Similar Recipes To Try!

• Italian Herb Baked Cheesy Tortellini
• Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce
• Creamy Tomato Bisque Recipe
• Alphabet Soup

I hope you love this soup as much as we did! Be sure to save/bookmark/pin/print/share this recipe. Its one of our new favorites! Ready in a cinch. Have a great day, friends!

PrintPrint Pin ItPin It

5 from 4 votes

Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

This Tortellini Soup is a super easy vegetarian meal that is packed full of tomatoes, seasonings, and, of course, cheesy tortellini!

servings 4 servings

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 31 minutes mins

Total Time 36 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 24 oz diced tomatoes I use San Marzano tomatoes
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 10 oz. fresh cheese tortellini
• ▢ parmesan cheese + fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• In large pot, cook garlic in olive oil 1 minute or until fragrant. Pour in tomatoes, broth, sugar and spices.
  
• Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes or until flavorful. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  
• 5 minutes before serving, pour in tortellini and stir. Once tortellini are puffed, soft and floating, they are done and you are ready to serve.
  
• Ladle into bowls and top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1185mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 4mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: tortellini soup