This easy and hearty tortellini soup makes a quick, meat-free dinner that the whole family will love! Loaded with flavour from plump, cheesy pasta and veggies, this vegetarian soup makes a healthy, complete meal that can be on the table in 25 minutes!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and easy – you’ll only need one pot, some simple pantry ingredients and about 25 minutes to throw this soup together. Love a quick weeknight dinner!
Adaptable – use whatever vegetables you have on hand, whether they are fresh, frozen or from your pantry!
Super comforting – when the weather gets colder and you are looking for a cosy weeknight soup recipe, this is it! That, and all of the crusty bread to mop it up of course!
Healthy – no cream or thickeners, just loads of healthy veggies, herbs and cheesy pasta.
Vegetarian – this soup is meat-free, but packed full of so much flavour that even devoted meat lovers will be satisfied!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Vegetables – While I have used classic vegetable soup veggies in this recipe, you can customise to suit whatever you have in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Try using some diced eggplant, broccoli, broccolini, sliced green beans, cherry tomatoes, corn or any other fresh herbs like basil or oregano. Or add ½ a cup of frozen peas towards the end. Spinach can also be swapped for kale.
- Canned cannellini beans – these beans are a nutritional powerhouse! They are packed with fiber and protein, as well as being a great source of folate, magnesium and Vitamin B6. Alternatively, you can use whatever you have in your pantry like tinned lentils, black beans, kidney beans or chickpeas.
- Tortellini – use your favourite fresh, dried or frozen tortellini. Or swap for your favourite filled ravioli. Try spinach and ricotta, mushroom (my favourite!) or cheese. Meat filled pasta can also be used, but the soup will no longer be suitable for vegetarians. Tortellini can be found in the fridge and pasta sections of most supermarkets and some grocers. For a quick and easy dinner, store-bought pasta is used in this recipe. But you can also try making your own!
- Italian herbs are a mix of classic Italian herbs that can be found in most supermarkets. Or, use your favourite dried herbs from your pantry like basil, oregano and rosemary.
Full ingredient list and amounts are found in the recipe card below.
Step by step instructions
Step 1. Soften the garlic and vegetables in a large soup pot.
Step 2. Once the vegetables and garlic have softened, add the tomato paste and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then add the stock, bay leaf and tomatoes and boil, covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 3. The tortellini and zucchini are then added and cooked until tender. Leave the spinach until the last minute to wilt through the soup. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to finish. Serve with a little chopped parsley and fresh parmesan cheese.
Expert tips
- Customise the vegetables in this recipe to suit your tastes as well as use up what you have available. Try adding ½ cup of frozen peas or corn.
- For an even faster weeknight dinner, the vegetables can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days, until required.
- Fresh, dried or frozen tortellini can be used for this recipe, however the cooking times will vary slightly depending on the type and flavour that you choose. Cook until the pasta is tender, but not too soft as it will continue to soften as it sits.
- The pasta may cause the soup to thicken slightly as it cooks. You can add a little extra stock at the end, if required.
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for around 3 days. The pasta will continue to soften and absorb the liquid, so you may need to add some more vegetable stock when re-heating. To re-heat, either microwave the soup or place it into a pot to heat over the stove, until simmering.
Yes, you can! Simply freeze the soup it in your desired portions. It can be frozen as is, however, if you would like to make this soup ahead to eat another night, I suggest making it without adding the pasta. This is because tortellini will continue to soften and become mushy when frozen. When it’s time to eat, simply bring the soup to a boil and add some fresh pasta, cooking until soft. Or, add some freshly cooked pasta to the re-heated soup. Defrost at room temperature for up to 3 hours, or place it in the fridge overnight for use the following day.
While this soup makes a complete and filling meal on its own, you can also serve it with some crusty bread, savoury muffins, garlic bread or toasted cheese sandwiches. The ultimate winter comfort food!
Related recipes
For more healthy, comforting and warming soups, try these recipes!
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Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 carrots medium, diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herbs
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ cups chopped canned tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 ½ cups canned cannellini beans or black beans, chickpeas or kidney beans
- 1 zucchini medium, diced
- 2-3 cups tortellini of choice try spinach and ricotta, mushroom or cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- fresh parsley
- fresh, shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, pepper, Italian herbs and paprika, sauteing for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables soften slightly.
- Add the tomato paste and stir for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high. Add the bay leaf, canned tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce the heat, simmering the soup for 10 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans, zucchini, and tortellini and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through. (Frozen tortellini will take a few extra minutes).
- Add the spinach and lemon juice and stir until the spinach has wilted.
To serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the freshly shaved parmesan and a little fresh parsley. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tortellini – use your favourite fresh, dried or frozen tortellini or ravioli. Any type of filling can be used; some suggestions are spinach and ricotta, mushroom (my favourite!) or cheese. Meat filled pasta can also be used, but the soup will no longer be suitable for vegetarians. Tortellini can be found in the fridge section of most supermarkets and some grocers.
- Italian herbs – are a mix of classic Italian herbs that can be found in most supermarkets. Or, use your favourite dried herbs from your pantry like basil, oregano and rosemary.
- Play around with the vegetables in this recipe to suit your tastes as well as use up what you have available.
- Beef or chicken stock can also be used, but of course the recipe will no longer be suitable for vegetarians.
- The vegetables can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, until required.
- Fresh or frozen tortellini can be used for this recipe, however the cooking times will vary slightly depending on the type and flavour that you choose.
- The pasta may thicken the soup slightly as it cooks. You can add a little extra stock at the end, if required.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep for around 3 days. The pasta will continue to soften and absorb the liquid, so you may need to add some more vegetable stock when re-heating. To re-heat, either microwave the soup or place it into a pot to heat over the stove, until simmering.
- This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Although it can be frozen as a complete soup, if you are making the soup ahead to eat later, I recommend leaving the pasta out until ready to serve. This is because the pasta will become a little mushy in the freezer. Re-heat in either the microwave or in a large saucepan, until steaming hot.
Nutrition
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Update notes: This recipe was originally published in July 2020, but was re-published with new information and photos in June 2021.
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