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Simple and hearty, this Tomato Tortellini Soup is a great recipe for dinner when you need some good comfort food that will fill you up. Can be prepped in under 30 minutes too! Stove top and Slow cooker variations to fit your need!
This recipe was originally published December 2018 and updated September 2023..
I never appreciated soup in my younger days, so now is the time, and I want all the soup! This Tomato Tortellini Soup recipe is one of my FAVORITE soups especially when I want a quick and easy, hearty bowl of soup.
I typically have this soup on hand along with this Italian vegetable soup, sausage gnocchi soup or rotisserie chicken noodle in the fridge or stocked in the freezer at any given time once fall hits. If not one of these, then chili for sure!
Why You Will Love This Tomato Tortellini Soup:
- It is hearty and filling. If you are a fan of tomato basil style soups, this tortellini soup adds more bulk by adding in the pasta which gives it a bit of a boost in protein and carbs to really get you fueled.
- Minimal ingredients to chop or prep. Lots of soups require a LOT of chopping veggies and ingredients. This one only involves chopping up one onion. Everything else is just a matter of tossing it in–that is what I love. A great canned good/pantry ingredient recipe.
- You can make it stove top or in the crock pot. If you want to whip this soup up in just 30 minutes, make it stove top. If not, toss everything but the tortellini in the slow cooker and then add the tortellini in shortly before serving. It is a great soup either way!
- The soup is so easy to vary. Switch up the tortellini to easily make this soup different every time. Use different marinaras to shift the flavor. Add Italian sausage, stir in some heavy cream–lots of ways to make this tomato tortellini soup different!
Recipe Ingredients:
- onion: sweet onion is the preference here but if you only have white onion or another kind, it should still sub well
- garlic: if possible, use freshly minced garlic for optimal flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, start with about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and adjust from there
- canned tomatoes: diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes both work well but I find the diced work better in this soup to provide come chunkiness to the soup. If you use crushed tomatoes, it can be a bit too much since it’s likely that there will be crushed tomatoes in the marinara and that could make the texture seem a bit off.
- tomato paste: this will thicken up the broth. You can omit it if you like your broth a bit thinner and more liquid.
- broth: chicken or vegetable will work. We prefer low or no sodium broths to be able to control the saltiness of the soup overall.
- marinara: the marinara provides instant flavor to this tomato tortellini soup recipe as well as a bit of bulk. Use one that you really love. Tomato basil flavored marinara is great!
- spinach: fresh spinach is ideal but if you would like to use frozen, that is fine too! About 5-6 oz. frozen spinach is probably ideal amount and you can throw it in frozen.
- seasoning: salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and a touch of crushed red pepper round this soup out with great Italian flavor!
- tortellini: use your favorite kind. We use the refrigerated tortellini, typically a cheese version. If you have frozen tortellini, just plan for extra time to
- optional ingredients: we typically serve this soup with chopped fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan. A drizzle of heavy cream is great as well or you can stir in about 1/2 cup or a bit more for a creamy broth!
How to make this recipe (stove top):
- Heat olive oil and add in onions and garlic. Sauté until onions start to become translucent. (step 1)
- Add in the marinara, broth, diced tomatoes (no need to drain the liquid), tomato paste, spices, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. (step 2)
- Add in the spinach and bring heat to medium low. Allow to heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Allow a light bubbling here but if it starts to really boil, lower the heat a touch. (step 3 and 4)
- Lower to a simmer. About 5 minutes before ready to serve, add in the tortellini and allow to cook until al dente. If the tortellini is frozen, you will want to cook it longer. (step 5)
- Adjust thickness of soup if desired by adding in another cup of broth for a thinner broth or more tomato paste for thicker. Enjoy your soup with freshly shredded parmesan, fresh basil and a big loaf of warm bread. (step 6)
Slow Cooker Variation:
For the slow cooker version, literally toss everything in the slow cooker and heat on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours. Add in tortellini about 10-15 minutes before ready to serve.
I love both versions of this soup. There is something to be said about soup from the slow cooker. The flavors just really meld together.
Tomato Tortellini Soup Recipe Tips:
- The marinara you use will make or break this soup. Opt for your favorite or one you love. This allows you to really make it your own. And you can switch up the type each time you make it! We love Newman’s Sockarooni or Rao’s the most but I have made this also with a spicy marinara and that was fun.
- Adjust the thickness to your liking. The use of the marinara and tomato paste will help thicken the broth of this soup. If you prefer a thinner broth, adjust by adding more broth. If you find it to be too thin, add extra tomato paste.
- Don’t overcook the tortellini. You will definitely want to wait until just before serving to add the tortellini for best results.
Ways to Vary This Recipe:
We love this soup just the way it is, but there are certainly ways to vary the recipe and make it even more delicious!
- Add Italian sausage. You can brown some ground Italian sausage and add it to this tomato tortellini soup. Kick up the spice with a hot Italian sausage or keep it on the mild side.
- Make it a creamy soup. Stir in about 1/2 cup or a bit more heavy cream before serving for a thick, creamy option. You can also drizzle a bit of cream over top if not everyone is up for a creamy variation.
- Vary the tortellini. This is one of the easiest ways to change the flavor of the recipe. You could use a meat filled tortellini, spinach ricotta, or whatever your favorite may be.
- Add more vegetables. This soup recipe was made to be simple so chopping up lots of veggies is not part of the original plan. However, you could add celery or carroty, some zucchini mushrooms or another vegetable you think would go well with this soup!
Storage Instructions:
For best results, refrigerate this tortellini soup for up to 5 days in an air tight container. Leftovers can be even more delicious so it makes for a great make ahead soup and serve it the following day if you want to do that instead of eating it right when you make it.
To freeze, allow to cool completely and then place in an air tight, freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Be aware, the texture of the tortellini can be a bit more soggy after freezing but it is still edible!
Other Comforting Recipes:
- Simple Chicken and Biscuit Skillet
- One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
- Maple Glazed Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
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Tomato Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 14.5 can tomatoes (not drained)
- 3 T tomato paste, more or less for desired thickness
- 6 c broth, chicken or vegetable, more if desired
- 1 24 oz. jar marinara
- 2 handfuls Spinach
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt, less if desired
- 20 oz. package cheese tortellini
- olive oil (for stove top)
- freshly chopped basil , for serving, optional
Instructions
For Stove Top:
- Over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic and onion until translucent.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, marinara and spices. Stir to combine. Add in the spinach and allow it to cook down into the soup. Turn the stove to medium low and allow to heat at a light bubble for about 10 minutes.
- Several minutes before ready to serve, toss in tortellini and allow to cook until softened. Add more tomato paste to thicken the broth or if you prefer your soup more broth based, you can even add more broth.
- Enjoy with fresh basil, garlic bread and your favorite shredded parmesan cheese!
For Slow Cooker:
- Combine all ingredients into slow cooker except for tortellini. Cook on low 4-6 hours or High 2-3 hours.
- Add in tortellini about 15-20 minutes before serving and allow to cook until al dente. Serve with your favorite garnishes!
- Refrigerate leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Adjust the thickness to your liking. The use of the marinara and tomato paste will help thicken the broth of this soup. If you prefer a thinner broth, adjust by adding more broth. If you find it to be too thin, add extra tomato paste.
- Don’t overcook the tortellini. You will definitely want to wait until just before serving to add the tortellini for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is truly, delicious! I don’t make it often because I want it to be special. It freezes well. I always use Costco marinara sauce. 🙏🏼 Thank you.
So happy to hear this—and I so get it. Grabbing Costco marinara asap now!