Spinach Tortellini Soup (2024)

4.5 from 289 votes

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

• ▢ 2 tablespoons 30 ml olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion (diced small)
• ▢ 2 large carrots (diced small)
• ▢ 2 large celery ribs (diced small)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 8 cups 1893 ml good low-sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ 5 ounces 142 grams baby spinach
• ▢ 9 ounces 255 grams cheese tortellini
• ▢ ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ Grated parmesan or pecorino (for serving)

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

• Add onion, carrots, celery and salt, and stir to coat with oil.

• Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until somewhat softened and beginning to brown. Don't rush this step, as browning adds a nice depth of flavor.

• Stir in broth and bring to a boil.

• Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

• Remove lid and add spinach and tortellini. (See notes 3 and 5 below for more details.)

• Cook according to tortellini package instructions (usually just simmeringfor a few minutes).

• Off the heat, stir in parsley and pepper.

• Ladle into bowls and serve with cheese to pass at the table.

1. A goodveggie brothmakes all the difference here. If you have homemade stock on hand, by all means use that. I typically don't, and that's also 100% fine. Reduced-sodiumImagine No Chicken Brothis my favorite boxed veggie broth by far, since it somehow magically has the flavor profile of a good chicken stock rather than being weirdly red and tasting tinny or sweet, as some other vegetable broths can do. If you're not keen on keeping the recipe vegetarian, you can use chicken broth.
2. Usecheese tortellinifrom the refrigerator section of the grocery store, which is made with fresh pasta. Cooking times vary pretty dramatically, so if yours cooks for more than three or four minutes, you can add it first and then add the spinach with just about three minutes to go.
3. If you think you'll finish the soup in one sitting and have time to make it shortly beforehand, I find it's quickest and easiest to cook the tortellini right in the broth. On the other hand, if you think you'll have leftovers and/or would like to cook the soup in advance, it's a good idea to cook the tortellini in a separate pot of well-salted water, drain and toss with a little bit of olive oil. Then add some to individual bowls before ladling in the rest of the soup. That way the pasta won't slurp up all the broth before you have a chance to.
4. Choose a good-quality, freshly gratedparmesan cheese. It adds a ton of savoriness. If it's important to you that this dish be vegetarian, be sure to choose a brand made without animal rennet.
5. As with most soups, the flavors will only develop over time, If making in advance, cook the tortellini separately and add to individual serving bowls. If you'd like the spinach to retain its bright green color, hold off on adding it until you're ready to reheat the soup. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.