Creamy Vegetable Tortellini Soup (Printable)

Tender tortellini with vegetables in a rich, creamy broth—ready in just 40 minutes for satisfying comfort.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 and 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, or to taste
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

# How-To Steps:

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 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, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking for hours when you've barely spent half that time in the kitchen.
  • The cream mellows everything into pure comfort without ever feeling heavy or one-note.
  • Vegetables soften beautifully but keep enough texture that you actually taste each one.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil once the cream goes in or it can separate and look weird—a gentle simmer is all you need.
  • Taste as you go with the seasonings because every brand of broth is different and you're the only one who knows if you like more salt or pepper.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pot when you're sautéing the initial vegetables—give them space to actually soften instead of steam.
  • If you're worried about cream curdling, temper it by slowly whisking a bit of the hot broth into the cream before you pour it all in.
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