Quick and Easy Tortellini Soup with Spinach
on Feb 25, 2015, Updated Sep 03, 2024
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Tortellini soup with spinach is a quick, simple, healthy dinner idea that the whole family will love and it is done in about 30 minutes!
This soup is really simple, comes together in under 30 minutes, and is the perfect match for my Super Simple No-Knead Bread recipe. Have you tried that bread yet? It’s amazing.
This is one of those throw-together soups that I find myself making over and over again because it comes together quickly and everyone loves to eat it. My kids liked this soup because it’s full of cheese tortellini, and I loved that they ate it because it’s full of vegetables. The leftovers were even more delicious the next day, when everything had time to marry and blend.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Since it’s a one-pot meal, you won’t have a pile of dishes to clean up afterward.
- Packed with fresh spinach and tomatoes, this soup is a healthy meal option.
- Ready in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- You can easily adapt the recipe by adding your favorite vegetables or protein.
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Canned Tomatoes
- Chicken Broth
- Sugar – Granulated
- Tortellini – Pre-packaged
- Spinach: I like to use fresh baby spinach
- Herbs – Dried parsley, basil, and Italian seasoning
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Meaty Twist: Add cooked Italian sausage, ground beef, or shredded rotisserie chicken to make the soup heartier and meatier.
- Creamy Comfort: For a creamy tomato tortellini soup, stir in half-and-half or heavy cream at the end of cooking to create a luscious, creamy texture.
- More Veggies: Experiment with additional vegetables like diced carrots, celery, or bell peppers to enhance the soup’s nutritional value and flavor variety.
How To Make Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Step #1. In a large pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step #2. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer.
Step #3. Add tortellini and spinach to the pot. Cook until the tortellini is tender and spinach is wilted.
Step #4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, then serve the soup hot.
Recipe FAQs
Spinach cooks really quickly. Cook spinach until it is wilted, usually 4-5 minutes. Sometimes I’ll chop the spinach up before adding it to the pot so that it’s easier for kids to eat.
Yes, you can cook spinach tortellini in advance and reheat it. To do so, cook the tortellini until it’s al dente, then drain and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss it with a bit of oil to prevent sticking, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave.
To prevent tortellini from sticking together, make sure to use a large pot with plenty of boiling, salted water. Stir the tortellini gently after adding it to the pot and occasionally while it cooks. Adding a bit of oil to the boiling water can also help reduce sticking.
The recipe suggests using diced tomatoes which are a great option, but you can use quite a few other things as well.
You have a lot of options when it comes to what tomato products you use. I have used 1 quarts of home-canned whole tomatoes in their own juice. I have also made this before using 2 cans of diced tomatoes, and I have also made it using whole tomatoes in their own juice and I just diced the tomatoes before adding them. Crushed tomatoes on their own or combined with diced are also a good option too. Feel free to use what you have on hand.
Expert Tips
- Aim for al dente tortellini to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Add spinach just before serving to keep it vibrant and fresh.
- For a richer flavor, use fire-roasted tomatoes or add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- Feel free to add other veggies like zucchini or mushrooms, or even some cooked sausage for extra protein.
How to Serve and Store Tortellini Soup
I love all things bread with this soup such as my favorite go-to sourdough bread, super simple no-knead bread, French baguettes, Mom’s easy French bread recipe, or my easy bread sticks recipe. And nothing goes better with soup and bread than a fresh salad like my Brussels sprout salad, arugula salad, or caesar salad.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze the soup with or without the tortellini in it. Simply put in a freezer safe container and freeze up to 3 months. The pasta will get a little soft when you reheat it but it’s never stop us from enjoying it out of the freezer.
More 30 Minute Dinners to Consider
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Stack ‘Em High: Golden Cornbread Pancakes
Seafood Recipes
Tuna Patties Recipe
From Scratch Recipes
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Dinner Ideas
Walking Tacos Recipe
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Quick and Easy Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, with juice (15 ounce cans)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 package frozen or fresh cheese tortellini, about 19 ounces
- 3-6 cups fresh baby spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, cook the onion in the olive oil, over medium high heat, until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes, broth, spices, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add your tortellini and spinach and cook until the tortellini is cooked through and the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot right away.
Notes
- Don’t Overcook the Tortellini:When cooking the tortellini, follow the instructions on the package carefully. Overcooking can make them mushy, so keep an eye on them and aim for that perfect “al dente” texture, where they’re tender but still have a slight bite.
- Fresh Spinach Goes a Long Way: If you’re using fresh baby spinach, remember that it wilts quickly. Add it to the soup just a few minutes before you’re ready to serve. It doesn’t need a lot of cooking time, and this ensures it stays vibrant and doesn’t turn too soft.
- For a richer flavor, use fire-roasted tomatoes or add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- Feel free to add other veggies like zucchini or mushrooms, or even some cooked sausage for extra protein.
This was a family hit! We all loved it and so quick and easy and delicious. Definitely adding to the weekend night rotation!
This looks like a winner! I bet I could even get my child to eat this! He loves those little cheese tortellini. He will even eat the spinach tortellini. Defiantly pinning this one!
this looks delish!!!!