This quick and easy creamy tuscan tortellini soup is packed with hearty, good-for-you ingredients and lightened up (no heavy cream!). The result? One amazingly delicious soup!
I think I’ve mentioned this about a million times, but I love it when you guys send me your favorite recipes.
It’s probably like my favorite thing in the history of ever. Not only does it make me feel like we’re BFFs (bc BFFs share all their greatest things with each other, right?), but your recipe shares have become some of my most-loved recipes…and some of the most popular recipes on my blog.
This creamy tuscan tortellini soup came to me by way of the sister of one of my awesome roommates in college (ahem, 20 years ago). She sent me this recipe a while ago, I adapted the guts out of it (always and of course), and it has quickly become a favorite comforting, hearty soup around here. It is quick and easy and so, so yummy.
Good for you ingredients
This tortellini soup is loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
- Carrots
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- White beans
But what makes it really special is that it comes together fast. Yes, even despite the lengthy-looking ingredient list.
Because tortellini cooks so quickly, other than a little chopping and whisking, most of the soup ingredients are dumped in and simmered together. It’s dreamy.
Tortellini Options
I usually use the Kirkland brand of refrigerated cheese tortellini from Costco. It comes in 22-24 ounce packages.
This recipe calls for about 10 ounces of tortellini, but for a thicker, heartier soup, go ahead and double the tortellini (same goes for the beans, as noted in the ingredient list). I often throw the whole Costco package in this soup (just one of them, they come in a two pack).
It might seem like tortellini overkill. But when you a) have kids that love tortellini more than life and fight over the little tender pillows of pasta as they dish up their soup and b) quite enjoy thick, hearty soups, doubling the pasta is a no brainer.
This soup gets much thicker as it cools, especially if leftovers are refrigerated. If you want it to stay soup-like, stay on the safe side and stick with the 9-10 ounces.
I’m just giving you options.
Lightened up creaminess
I nixed the heavy cream in this recipe and instead, I use a quick blend of lowfat milk + flour to slightly thicken the soup and add creaminess. I add the milk mixture after the tortellini have cooked for a few minutes. Those babies cook fast!
Toss in the beans, cooked chicken and spinach. A few more minutes of low simmering, and this soup is ready to go. I’m telling you, it’s super quick. And super good.
This soup is crazy delicious. Right up there with my two other favorite tortellini soups:
And the leftovers, although definitely thicker and decidedly less soupy, are amazing.
Can I make it in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker?
This is a great question and one I know will be asked. I haven’t tried either…yet. This creamy tuscan tortellini soup is so quick and easy on the stovetop, I haven’t experimented making it in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, but I definitely think it could be adapted to either.
We finish each serving with a healthy sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and then dig in.
I’ve served this quick and easy creamy tuscan tortellini soup to company, taken it in to a neighbor who was recovering from surgery, and made it just for our family on a busy weeknight.
Each and every time = rave reviews. It has a little something for everyone. ?
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium carrots, peeled)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 ounces cheese tortellini (see note)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 to 2 cans (15-ounces each) Great Northern, cannellini, or other white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken
- 2-3 cups lightly packed, torn or coarsely chopped fresh spinach
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a 6- or 8-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook/sweat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are mostly tender (they’ll continue to cook for a few minutes in the next step).
- Whisk or blend the flour and milk together until smooth and add it to the soup, stirring constantly. Add the beans, chicken and spinach. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and all the ingredients are heated through and the tortellini are tender.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
Tortellini: I usually use the Kirkland brand refrigerated cheese tortellini from Costco. It comes in 22-24 ounce packages. This recipe calls for 10 ounces tortellini, but for a thicker, heartier soup, you can double the tortellini amount (same goes for the beans, as noted in the ingredient list).
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Recipe Source: inspired by a recipe a reader, Jenny R. sent me (thanks, Jenny!)
