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. Stove top and Slow cooker variations to fit your need!
This recipe was originally published December 2018 and updated August 2020.
Comfort food (siiiigh), you really just get me. And soup is for sure right up there with food that soothes the soul. Look at me! It is August, and I suddenly feel like I need to pop out all the sweaters, who am I?
I don't think I really appreciated soup until more recent years. Not sure why. I guess I connected soup with being sick for so long because that's what you eat when you are under the weather, right?
But this Tomato Tortellini Soup is one of my FAVORITE soups of all time and for so so many reasons. It is one of those soups that is cozy and comforting and yet it is still thick and hearty and you still get to chew something.
Once the first cool crisp Sunday comes around as we move into fall, my belly basically screams, "Soup! Chili! Soup! More Soup! More Chili!" and this one is top on the list.
- It is thick and hearty. I like to think of this tomato tortellini as a bowl of pasta just with a whole bunch of sauce. The tortellini adds a lot of bulk to the soup.
- There is minimal chopping ingredients. Lots of soups require a LOT of chopping veggies and ingredients. This one only involves chopping up one onion. I think I can do that!
- It is so easily varied. Switch up the tortellini and switch up the marinara and you can have a different soup every day of the year!
What you will need to make this recipe:
- I have used chicken and vegetable broth for this Tomato Tortellini soup and love both. The day I snapped this image, the grocery subbed my veggie broth with chicken so that's what I used! That's pandemic grocery pick up for us, these days.
- You can use frozen spinach if you would like to in this recipe. I know "2 large handfuls" isn't really a great measurement but if you are using frozen, use about half of a 10 oz. package or your desired amount.
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, 4 cups 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)
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.
Notes:
- The thing I find to be the best part of this recipe is using a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. This allows you to really make it your own. And you can switch up the type each time you make it! We loooooove Newman's Sockarooni the most but I have made this also with a spicy marinara and that was fun.
- The tortellini can also be any flavor you love. Another way to fine tune this one and switch things up every time. We love using a four cheese but a spinach and ricotta or something meaty for Anthony are coming soon to our home.
- Garlic bread--that goes without saying, right? It's the perfect pairing with this soup!
- Don't overcook the tortellini. You will definitely want to wait until just before serving to add the tortellini for best results.
Can I freeze this soup?
I have frozen this soup before and reheated it in the microwave. The flavor is great but the tortellini texture isn't as good as freshly cooked. But it's not bad enough for me not to continue freezing it.
Just know its still good re-heated, but fresh or day old is my personal favorite.
Other than that, this Tomato Tortellini Soup is cozy and delicious and sure to make everyone's belly's happy!
Check out these other cozy 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 24 oz. jar marinara
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 14.5 can tomatoes (not drained)
- 3 T tomato paste, more or less for desired thickness
- 2 handfuls Spinach
- 2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon basil (Italian seasoning works too!)
- 4 -5 c broth
- ¼ teaspoon Red pepper
- 1 8-12oz. Tortellini package
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil (for stove top)
Instructions
For Stove Top:
- Over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic and onion until translucent.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and spices (including salt and pepper). 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 10 minutes before serving and allow to cook until al dente. Serve with your favorite garnishes!
Notes
- Make this super creamy with a few tablespoons of heavy cream. Stir it in after adding the tortellini.
- The thing I find to be the best part of this recipe is using a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. This allows you to really make it your own. And you can switch up the type each time you make it! We loooooove Newman's Sockarooni the most but I have made this also with a spicy marinara and that was fun.
- The tortellini can also be any flavor you love. Another way to fine tune this one and switch things up every time. We love using a four cheese but a spinach and ricotta or something meaty for Anthony are coming soon to our home.
- Don't overcook the tortellini. You will definitely want to wait until just before serving to add the tortellini for best results.
Alli says
This looks amazing and I love that it’s quick! Can’t wait to try! Have you ever made it a creamy version?
Lorie says
Yes! Add in some heavy cream at the end and you are good to go. So good!
Alli says
Thank you so much! I am making this now!
Renee says
Hi there,
Can I use tomato sauce instead of marinara? That is all I have at home. Will it change the recipe? And what do you mean by red pepper? The vegetable? Thanks.
Lorie says
Hi there! No idea where my other responses went, they seem to have vanished. I apologize! Must have been a weird glitch. The red pepper is crushed red pepper, the spice. It adds a bit of heat to the recipe but nothing overwhelming. You can use the tomato sauce, but it will not add the same flavor a marinara will add. Just adjust the seasonings and garlic maybe to add a bit more flavor and you should be good to go!!
Jenny says
What kind of broth? Just says how much.. thanks!
Lorie says
Hi Jenny! I use Chicken or veggie broth. I guess that’s why I didn’t specify. Thanks for the heads up—I will add it in!
Liz Shaw says
This looks incredible- I haven't made something like this in a long time!
Lorie says
Perfect simple comfort food!
Natalie Rizzo says
Man, I love a good soup and this one looks incredible!
Lorie says
Awww thanks Natalie!!
Lindsey says
This looks delicious! And I have to say, as a dietitian who does have a medical condition where I've learned avoiding gluten makes a huge, huge, HUGE impact on my digestive health and quality of life, I still strongly encourage clients not to restrict gluten or anything unless they truly need to. In fact, there are often whole wheat versions of gluten-free goods that are packed with a lot more fiber and nutrients!
Lorie says
Love this, Lindsey. So great to have dietitians like you! ❤️
Emily Kyle says
I love that you can use your own marinara for this! We used the stuff we canned in the fall and it was SO good@
Lorie says
Ooooooh I’m sure that was INCREDIBLE.
Tawnie Kroll says
This was the perfect weeknight dinner, thank you!
Lorie says
Love hearing this! One of our latest faves!
Meme says
Plan on making this at least once a week from now on! Best soup I have made in a long time!
Lorie says
Made my day, Meme!!