Tomato Tortellini Soup

Tomato Tortellini Soup is a quick, cozy meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes. Packed with tender pasta, creamy tomato broth, and simple ingredients, it’s both comforting and satisfying. Perfect for busy weeknights, it’s a soup the whole family will love.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Roasted Tomato Soup or this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Hearty and comforting, this tomato tortellini soup is perfect for chilly days. The rich, flavorful broth develops quickly, giving you that deep tomato taste without hours of simmering. Cheesy tortellini adds indulgence and makes it a family favorite, even for picky eaters, while the simple ingredients mean it’s easy to whip up anytime.

Print

Ingredient List

For the Soup Base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ medium onion, chopped (I use yellow onions, nothing fancy)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or that squeeze tube stuff works too)
• 2 tablespoons flour (whatever all-purpose you’ve got)
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I buy the boxes and keep them forever)
• 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes with juice (don’t drain it!)
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes with juice
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or just throw in some dried basil and oregano)
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar (the secret nobody tells you about)
• 1 cup heavy cream (not milk, not half-and-half, HEAVY CREAM)
• 2 cups refrigerated cheese tortellini (from the cold section, not the dried pasta aisle)
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy

What I use when I’m out of stuff:

• No onion? Onion powder works but fresh is way better
• Vegetarian? Use veggie broth, tastes just as good
• Different tortellini? The spinach ones are great, three-cheese too
• No brown sugar? White sugar in a pinch but it’s not the same
• Hate basil? Skip it, soup’s still amazing

I buy extra cans of tomatoes when they’re on sale because I make this soup constantly. Same with those little containers of broth – they keep forever and I use them for everything.

Why These Ingredients Work

The brown sugar thing – I discovered this by accident when I was out of regular sugar and desperate. It doesn’t make the soup sweet, it just makes everything taste more balanced. Most people skip this and wonder why restaurant tomato soup is better than theirs. This is why.

Heavy cream is non-negotiable. I tried to be all healthy once and used half-and-half. Curdled into nasty chunks the second it hit the tomatoes. Had to throw the whole pot away and start over while everyone stood around asking when dinner would be ready. Learn from my pain.

The flour thing creates what fancy people call a “roux” but it’s basically just making the soup thick instead of watery. My grandma showed me this trick years ago for gravy. Same concept, different dish.

Using both kinds of tomatoes – diced and crushed – gives you the best of everything. Little chunks for texture, smooth stuff for the base. I tried making it with just one kind before. Not the same.

Oil plus butter for cooking the onions prevents the butter from burning while still getting that buttery flavor. Learned that from some cooking show I was watching at 2 AM when I had insomnia.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Nothing crazy here:

• Big pot (I use my Dutch oven but any large saucepan works)
• Sharp knife so you don’t cry while chopping onions
• Wooden spoon for stirring
• Whisk for the roux part
• Can opener (learned this the hard way when mine broke)
• Measuring stuff
• Ladle for serving

Don’t stress if you don’t have everything. I’ve made this soup with basically nothing when we were camping. It’s not that complicated.

How To Make Tomato Tortellini Soup

Step 1: Get your base going

Heat the oil and butter in your pot over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming and starts smelling good, dump in your chopped onion. Cook it until it’s soft and see-through, about 5-7 minutes.

Don’t rush this part. I used to try to speed everything up and ended up with crunchy onion pieces in my soup. Gross. Take the time to cook them right – they’ll basically disappear into the soup and make everything taste better.

If they start getting brown, turn your heat down. We want soft and sweet, not caramelized. Save that for French onion soup.

Step 2: Make the thickener

Throw in your garlic and flour, stir like crazy for about a minute. It’ll smell nutty and good when it’s ready. This is the roux thing I mentioned – it’s what makes your soup actually thick instead of like tomato water.

Stir constantly or the flour will burn and ruin everything. I’ve done this. It tastes terrible and you have to start over. Keep that spoon moving and don’t walk away.

The mixture looks weird at first, like wet sand, but it comes together. Don’t panic. Just keep stirring until it smells toasted.

Step 3: Add liquid slowly

This is where people screw up. Pour in your broth SLOWLY while whisking like your life depends on it. I mean it – slow and steady, whisking constantly.

If you dump it all in at once, you get lumps that are impossible to get out. I’ve made this mistake more times than I want to admit. Add maybe a quarter cup at a time at first, whisk until smooth, then add more.

Once you’ve got half of it incorporated smoothly, you can go a little faster. But keep whisking until it’s completely smooth. A few tiny lumps won’t kill you but nobody wants chunky soup.

Step 4: Build the tomato base

Time for the good stuff. Dump in both cans of tomatoes – juice and all, don’t drain them! Add the Italian seasoning, brown sugar, and cream. Stir everything together and turn the heat up to get it boiling gently.

Your kitchen is going to smell incredible right about now. The soup will look creamy and orange-red and gorgeous.

Watch it carefully – you want a gentle bubble, not a crazy rolling boil. Too much heat makes the cream do weird things and nobody wants broken soup.

Step 5: Cook the tortellini

Once it’s bubbling nicely, add your tortellini and turn the heat back down to keep it simmering. The package probably says 8-10 minutes but start checking at 6 minutes because every brand is different.

They’re done when they float and look puffy. Don’t overcook them or they get mushy and gross. I usually taste one to make sure – occupational hazard of being the cook.

The soup gets a little thicker while the pasta cooks because of the starch. That’s exactly what you want.

Step 6: Final touches

Salt and pepper to taste. I usually start with about a teaspoon of salt and go from there. Remember your broth already has salt so you might not need as much as you think.

If you’ve got fresh basil, tear it up and throw it in now. Don’t chop it with a knife – just rip it with your hands. Looks prettier and doesn’t bruise the leaves.

No basil? Whatever. The soup is still amazing. Sometimes I use parsley from the garden or just skip the herbs entirely.

You Must Know

Heavy cream only. Not milk, not half-and-half, not “light” cream. The acid in the tomatoes will curdle anything with less fat and you’ll have cottage cheese soup. Disgusting.

Pasta timing: Add tortellini at the end, not the beginning. They keep cooking and absorbing liquid even after they’re done, so if you add them too early you get soup-flavored pasta mush.

Heat control: Keep it at a simmer once you add the cream. I got distracted making this for a dinner party once and came back to separated, broken soup. Had to start over while people were arriving.

My Personal Secret: Oil and butter together for cooking onions. The oil keeps the butter from burning, the butter makes everything taste better. Simple but it makes a huge difference.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Cook that flour for the full minute even if it seems like forever. Raw flour tastes nasty and we’re not doing that here. You’ll know it’s ready when it stops smelling like flour and starts smelling toasted.

Don’t drain the tomato juice – that’s where all the flavor lives. People throw away the best part without thinking about it.

Add tortellini during the last 8 minutes only. They’re like little sponges that will soak up all your soup if you leave them in too long.

Never let it boil hard after adding cream. I can’t stress this enough. Gentle simmer only or you’ll have a separated mess.

Brown sugar balances the acid in the tomatoes. It’s not about making it sweet, it’s about making everything taste more complex and restaurant-quality.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Meat version: Brown some Italian sausage first, take it out, use the fat to cook your onions, add the sausage back at the end. My husband’s favorite way.

Spinach addition: Throw in a big handful of baby spinach during the last couple minutes. Wilts down to nothing but adds color and makes me feel better about feeding my family.

Spicy kick: Red pepper flakes with the other seasonings. Not too much if you’ve got kids but enough to warm it up.

Extra cheese: Grated Parmesan stirred in at the end. Sometimes I put different cheeses on the table and let everyone pick their own.

Herb garden: Fresh oregano, thyme, or rosemary if you’ve got them growing outside. Makes it taste fancy.

Leftover protein: Rotisserie chicken, cooked ground beef, whatever you’ve got in the fridge works.

Make-Ahead Options

Make everything except the tortellini up to 3 days ahead. Store it in the fridge, then when you want to eat, heat it up, add fresh pasta, cook 8 minutes. Done.

The base freezes perfectly for months. I make double batches and freeze half in those flat freezer bags. Takes up less room and thaws faster.

Sunday meal prep strategy: Make the base on Sunday, keep it in the fridge all week. Tuesday night dinner is ready in 15 minutes just by adding pasta.

This recipe doubles or triples easily for feeding crowds. Made it for my kid’s soccer team once and all the parents wanted the recipe.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Always use refrigerated tortellini, not the dried stuff from a box. Refrigerated pasta has better texture and cooks more evenly. I stock up when it’s on sale and freeze extras.

Soup gets thicker as it sits, especially leftovers. Just add more broth when you reheat it. No big deal.

Day-old soup tastes even better because the flavors blend together overnight. But you’ll definitely need to thin it out.

If you make it too thick, add broth. Too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce.

Better canned tomatoes make better soup but don’t stress about it. I use whatever’s on sale most of the time.

Serving Suggestions

Grilled cheese is obvious but so good. I make them with sourdough and sharp cheddar. The kids dip theirs and get soup everywhere but they’re eating and happy so I don’t care.

Good crusty bread for dipping. I heat it up in the oven and brush with garlic butter if I’m feeling ambitious.

Simple salad cuts through all that richness. Caesar or just greens with lemon dressing.

Sprinkle whatever cheese you want on top. Parmesan, Romano, even sharp cheddar works.

Perfect for sick days, snow days, or when you just want something that tastes like a hug in a bowl.

How to Store Your Tomato Tortellini Soup

Fridge: Up to 4 days in covered containers. The pasta soaks up liquid so you’ll need to add broth when you reheat.

Freezer: Base only (no pasta) for up to 3 months. I use freezer bags or containers, whatever I have.

Reheating: Low heat on the stove, stir it around, don’t let it boil. Add more broth or cream if it’s too thick.

Individual portions: I freeze single servings in mason jars for quick lunches. Leave room at the top or they’ll crack when the soup expands.

Allergy Information

Has: Dairy (butter, cream, cheese in pasta), gluten (flour, pasta), eggs (in the tortellini)

Dairy-free: Plant butter and full-fat coconut milk instead of cream. Find dairy-free pasta. Won’t be as rich but still good.

Gluten-free: GF flour (cup for cup replacement) and GF pasta. I’ve done this for my celiac friend and it works fine.

Vegan: Veggie broth, plant butter, coconut milk, egg-free pasta. Different but tasty.

I’ve made versions for friends with all kinds of dietary stuff and everyone’s been happy with the results.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Why did my soup curdle? Y

ou either used milk instead of heavy cream, or let it boil too hard. Heavy cream won’t curdle, lighter dairy will. Keep the heat gentle once you add cream.

How do I make it thicker?

Mix cornstarch with cold water, whisk it in, let it cook a few minutes. Or just simmer it uncovered to evaporate some liquid.

Can I add other vegetables?

Sure. Spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, whatever you want. Add hard vegetables with the onions, soft ones at the end.

Is there a healthy version?

You can add more vegetables, use whole wheat pasta, low-sodium broth. But honestly? Sometimes comfort food should just be comfort food.

💬 Made this soup? How’d it turn out? Tell me about your disasters and successes – I want to hear all of it!