This tortellini soup is for those nights you just don’t feel like cooking - make a quick tomato soup, add in some tortellini and dinner is served!
Tortellini is one of life’s greatest dinner hacks. You can dress them up, dress them down, turn them round and round… just kidding. But they truly are a wonderful ingredient to have on hand for those nights when you really want an easy and quick dinner that everyone will enjoy.
What makes this Tortellini soup so tasty?
This one pot tortellini soup is special because we’re going to fry up some prosciutto (just like you would bacon, it’ll get beautifully crispy) in the pan first, and this will give the rest of our soup a wonderful flavour. We’ll then just cook up some onions, garlic, tomato paste and canned tomatoes, simmer down, then add the tortellini.
Mix cream, basil and peas through just before serving, and top with that crispy prosciutto, shaved parmesan and fresh basil.
What's in this Tortellini Soup?
- Soup - Brown onion, garlic, frozen baby peas, basil, olive oil, tomato paste, canned crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, thickened cream (double cream).
- Tortellini - use fresh ricotta and spinach tortellini - or whichever flavour variation you like.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Tortellini Soup
1. Peel and finely dice onion. Peel and crush garlic. Measure out frozen baby peas. Pick basil leaves and chop half of them. Slice prosciutto into 2 cm strips.
- 1 small brown onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- ½ bunch basil
- 160g prosciutto
2. Place a deep frying pan or flame-proof casserole dish over medium heat. Once hot, add prosciutto and cook until just crispy. Remove and set aside.
- 160g prosciutto
3. Add olive oil to the pan, and then cook diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small brown onion
- 4 cloves garlic
4. Add tomato paste and cook until dark red, then add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken stock
5. Add ricotta and spinach tortellini to the mix, stir through and cook for a minute less than indicated on the packet, approximately 2 minutes.
- 600g fresh ricotta and spinach tortellini
6. Stir through cream and frozen peas and cook for a further minute, or until heated through. Stir through chopped basil.
- 200ml thickened cream
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- ¼ bunch basil
7. To serve kids, shave over parmesan, and add basil and prosciutto if they like it.
For adults, serve topped with crispy prosciutto, remaining basil leaves and use a peeler to shave over parmesan.
- 60g parmesan
- ¼ bunch basil
How do you keep tortellini from getting mushy in soup?
Make sure you don't add your tortellini too early - you only need to cook it for a minute or two. If you are making this dinner in advance, you can even cook all the way up to the point when you put the tortellini in, and just do this when you reheat to serve it.
What goes with tortellini soup?
This tortellini soup has everything you need for a full meal, but if you want to add some extras you could steam some greens and toss with garlic, lemon juice and shaved almonds, or you could make some garlic bread like in this Zucchini slice recipe.
Substitutions
- Alternative proteins - You can use any other type of tortellini - I chose spinach and ricotta, but any other variety will also work.
- Vegetarian - Skip the prosciutto. Because we’ve got delicious parmesan at the end you don’t need to add anything else salty to replace the bacon.
- Gluten Free - Try to get some gluten free tortellini. If you can’t find that, then use regular gluten free pasta (short), and top with some ricotta at the end.
- Dairy Free - Use a meat-based tortellini that doesn’t have dairy. Skip the cream. Use dairy free shredded parmesan.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Children may prefer to skip the prosciutto.
Equipment
You will need a deep frying pan or flame-proof casserole dish, a stovetop.
Top tip
Don’t add your basil too early. If you’re making this in advance, keep the basil to the side and then add when you are reheating. That way it'll keep it lovely and green.
Recipe
Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
Equipment
- Deep frying pan or flame-proof casserole dish
- Stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion small
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup frozen baby peas
- Basil ½ bunch
- 160 g prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 400g
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 600 g fresh ricotta and spinach tortellini
- 200 ml thickened cream
- 60 g parmesan
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice onion. Peel and crush garlic. Measure out frozen baby peas. Pick ½ bunch basil leaves and chop half of them. Slice prosciutto into 2 cm strips.1 brown onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 cup frozen baby peas, Basil, 160 g prosciutto
- Place a deep frying pan or flame-proof casserole dish over medium heat. Once hot, add prosciutto and cook until just crispy. Remove and set aside.160 g prosciutto
- Add olive oil to the pan, and then cook diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute.1 brown onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
- Add tomato paste and cook until dark red, then add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 3 cups chicken stock
- Add ricotta and spinach tortellini to the mix, stir through and cook for a minute less than indicated on the packet, approximately 2 minutes.600 g fresh ricotta and spinach tortellini
- Stir through cream and frozen peas and cook for a further minute, or until heated through. Stir through chopped basil.1 cup frozen baby peas, 200 ml thickened cream, Basil
- To serve kids, shave over parmesan, and add basil and prosciutto if they like it.For adults, serve topped with crispy prosciutto, remaining basil leaves and use a peeler to shave over parmesan.Basil, 60 g parmesan
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