We make soup for dinner all of the time, especially during the cold winter months. A few favorites include: Minestrone Soup, White Bean Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup. This soup has it all̷…
We make soup for dinner all of the time, especially during the cold winter months. A few favorites include: Minestrone Soup, White Bean Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup. This soup has it all…sausage, tortellini pasta, vegetables, and cheese. It is the perfect one pot meal and always…
This fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious Tortellini Salad feeds a crowd on a dime. My favorite part? It only takes a few minutes to put together. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Win! Win! Win! It’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light lunch at home. Get ready to put this Tortellini Salad recipe on repeat!
What is Tortellini Salad?
Tortellini is a type of pasta stuffed with meat, vegetables, or cheese, then shaped into a small ring. To make the salad, the cooked and cooled tortellini is mixed with summer vegetables, herbs, greens, and a vinaigrette. Sometimes chopped cured meats or pickled peppers are added. For me, the pure joy of it is that it comes together in three steps, it’s super filling, and it’s a perfect choice for when you have an army to feed but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Ingredients for Tortellini Salad
The pasta is the star here, and though you can use any kind of tortellini, we chose cheese tortellini to keep the flavor profile simple. Here’s what you need to make Tortellini Salad:
Tortellini– any kind will do. If you can’t access this ingredient, substitute it with rotini, farfalle, penne, orecchiette, or gnocchi. (And call it Pasta Salad!)
Cherry tomatoes – these bring a pop of color and a touch of sweetness and acidity to the party. If you’re not a fan of tomatoes, try using red bell peppers instead.
Red onion– sharp, assertive, and spicy, this ingredient is a great way to break up the fattiness of the tortellini. You can substitute with green onion, white onion, or yellow onion.
Summer vegetables like squash and zucchini– these fresh veggies add more texture than flavor and also help bulk up your salad. Substitute with cucumber or carrots.
Black olives– add a touch of brininess. Substitute with green olives or capers.
Baby spinachandItalian Pasley– add herbaceous peppery notes. Substitute the spinach with kale or arugula. If you’re not a fan of parsley, use basil.
Parmesan cheese – helps round out the flavors and adds a touch of nuttiness.
Italian Dressing– pulls everything together and adds zing. Substitute with any lightly flavored vinaigrette.
Tips For Making The Best Tortellini Salad
You can use store-bought Italian dressing for convenience, but for a more flavorful salad, use our recipe for Italian Dressing.
Bulk up the salad with more low-cost, in-season veg to transform a pound of tortellini into 16 servings instead of 12. Use any fresh veg, greens, and fresh summer herbs you have on hand. Just cut everything in similar sizes.
Add a little acidity and heat with pickled cherry peppers or banana peppers.
For a heartier salad, add chopped grilled chicken or shrimp. Or try adding chopped salami.
Tortellini salad keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. Just make sure to store leftovers in an airtight container. If you want to make the salad ahead of time, I recommend making the tortellini, chopping and salting the squash and zucchini, and prepping the rest of the ingredients. Add the tortellini to a large container and top with the veg and then the greens. Mix with Parmesan and dressing when you’re ready to serve.
First, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Then drain well and cool in a very large bowl in the fridge.
While the tortellini is cooking, slice the summer squash and the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds and then quarter the rounds. Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and mix.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the red onion in 1/4 inch half moons and soak it in cold water to dull its sharp flavor. Chop the parsley, and if the baby spinach leaves are large, chop them as well.
Once the tortellini has cooled, top it with the cherry tomatoes, red onion, baby spinach, and sliced black olives. Then drizzle with 1/2 cup of Italian dressing.
Next, top the salad with chopped Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese. Then drizzle with the final 1/4 cup of Italian dressing. Finally, mix, and serve! Wasn't that easy?
How to Make Tortellini Salad – Step By Step Photos
First, cook one pound of tortellini according to the package directions. Then drain well and cool in a very large bowl in the fridge.
While the tortellini is cooking, slice the summer squash and the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds and then quarter the rounds. Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and mix.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the red onion in 1/4 inch half moons and soak it in cold water to dull its sharp flavor. Chop the parsley, and if the baby spinach leaves are large, chop them as well.
Once the tortellini has cooled, you’re ready to assemble. First, top the tortellini with 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sliced red onion, 2 cups fresh baby spinach, and 1/2 cup sliced black olives. Then drizzle with 1/2 cup of Italian dressing.
Next, top the salad with 1/2 cup of chopped Italian parsley and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Then drizzle with the final 1/4 cup of Italian dressing. Finally, mix, and serve! Wasn’t that easy? Now go feed your army and enjoy your time with them instead of spending it in your kitchen!
This spinach tortellini soup is easy and bursting with flavor! Veggies, herbs and Parmesan cheese make a deliciously savory broth.
Here’s a tasty, simple soup that impresses every time: Spinach Tortellini Soup! This one is for the books. Doughy pillows of tortellini float in a tangy, tomato broth seasoned with Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese. It’s loaded up with nutrient-dense spinach and tender vegetables like carrot and fennel, which add nuance and crunch. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese and it’s a total triumph. Our friends and family couldn’t get enough: when it’s “wow!” from the first bite, we know it’s a keeper!
Ingredients in spinach tortellini soup
This spinach tortellini soup has an herby tomato-based broth, thickened slightly with Parmesan cheese. The flavor of the broth is dependent on the quality of tomatoes, so don’t skimp here! It’s similar to our Creamy Tortellini Soup but simpler, without the cream and with more spinach. Here are a few notes on the ingredients you’ll need:
Olive oil
Onion
Fennel
Carrot
Garlic
Crushed fire roasted tomatoes
Vegetable broth
Parmesan cheese
Oregano, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper
Refrigerated cheese tortellini or tortelloni
Spinach
Fresh ground black pepper
Use refrigerated tortelloni
Turns out, the best pasta to use for a tortellini soup is actually tortelloni, a larger shape of tortellini! We prefer this shape because it’s bigger and more satisfying flavor-wise. Make sure it’s refrigerated, because this means it’s fresh pasta (and will cook during the short simmering time). Don’t use dried tortellini! Here’s the difference between tortellini vs tortelloni:
Tortelloni is a pasta shape that is larger than tortellini with a filled center. Tortellini is smaller and ring shaped, with a hole in the middle.
Where to find it? Tortelloni is easy to find the refrigerated section at your local grocery. It’s usually not available dried or frozen (though you can find tortellini dried and frozen).
How to tell the difference quickly? Tortellini has a hole in the middle, whereas tortelloni has a solid center that encloses the filling.
Either way: don’t use dried pasta! It has a different cook time and the package weights are different.
Use fire roasted tomatoes if possible
The other key to this spinach tortellini soup? Fire roasted tomatoes! We use this type of tomato often in our recipes to bring big flavor in a short cook time.
Fire roasted tomatoes are a type of canned tomato that’s cooked over an open flame before canning. It makes the flavor beautifully sweet out of the can, instead of acidic like many canned tomato varieties.
Where to get them? This type of tomatoes are becoming pretty easy to find in grocery stores in the US; they’re sold by several brands (Muir Glen is a favorite of ours). Look in the canned tomatoes section.
What if you can’t find them? Substitute the best quality canned tomatoes you can find and increase the simmer time by 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar if the flavor still seems bitter.
Spinach tortellini soup storage info
This tortellini soup is best hot from the stove! But if you have leftovers or want to make it ahead, we’ve got some tips.
Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. The flavor gets even better over time!
Reheat over the stovetop for a few minutes until warmed through. If you make it ahead, you can make it without the tortellini and refrigerate. Then heat it up and cook the tortellini right before serving. This allows the broth to not soak into the tortellini during storage (but it’s not required).
More tortellini recipes
Want more with tortellini (or…tortelloni?). Here are our top tortellini recipes:
9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini or tortelloni
4 cups (4 ounces) baby spinach (or chopped standard spinach)
Fresh ground black pepper
To garnish: grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, fennel, and garlic and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, Parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes.
Add the tortellini or tortelloni and the baby spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Season with fresh ground black pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*Can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes? Substitute the best quality canned tomatoes you can find and increase the simmer time by 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar if the flavor still seems bitter.
Category:Main Dish
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:Soup
Diet:Vegetarian
Keywords: Spinach tortellini soup, tortellini soup with spinach
I’ve really been digging cheese tortellini lately because it’s as easy as plain pasta, but it’s just a bit more hearty (thanks to that cheese filling), so it instantly makes any pasta dish feel more substantial, even without adding meat. Last week I made this super easy Spinach Tortellini Skillet, which is a riff on one of our most popular recipes, Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta. This tortellini version is a bit easier (no chopping onion!) and a little more filling. I hope you enjoy!
What’s in This Tortellini SKillet
This recipe is incredibly simple, which makes it the perfect easy weeknight dinner. It’s got cheesy tortellini that we toss in a homemade creamy tomato sauce, and a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach thrown in for color, texture, and nutrients. The only ingredients you need to make this delicious pasta skillet are:
Herbs and spices: We kept the sauce pretty simple as far as seasonings go, with just some fresh garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and freshly cracked pepper.
Diced tomatoes: We opted for petite diced tomatoes here to keep the sauce from being too chunky. You could also use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for more flavor!
Cream cheese: This instantly gives the tomato sauce a thick and creamy texture which coats the tortellini beautifully.
Cheese tortellini: We used frozen cheese tortellini, which cooks quickly (about 3 min.), but you can use whatever flavor or type of tortellini you prefer.
Parmesan cheese: A little Parmesan cheese at the end really helps boost the umami flavor in the skillet, and adds a little extra richness to the sauce.
Fresh spinach: A few handfuls of fresh spinach thrown into the sauce gives this dish a beautiful dose of color and a little extra veggie power.
What Else Can I Add?
I think this dish is pretty hearty as-is, but if you want to add some meat you have several options. You could brown some Italian Sausage in the skillet before the garlic and incorporate it into the sauce, you could top the skillet with some sliced seared chicken breast, or you could even add some garlic butter shrimp!
If you like your food spicy, definitely add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper to the tomato sauce for a little kick. And if you want this to be EXTRA indulgent, try topping it with some mozzarella and baking it in the oven until melted! 😮
What to Serve with This Tortellini Skillet
GARLIC BREAD. This recipe is just begging for some buttery, crispy, homemade garlic bread! And if you’re like me, you already have some stashed in your freezer ready to bake on a moment’s notice. ;) And if you want some extra veggies with this meal, you can use any leftover spinach you might have to make a simple side salad. Or make some easy roasted broccoli to serve on the side!
How are the LEftovers?
Fan-freaking-tastic, IMHO! The sauce does get a little thick with time in the refrigerator, but that does not impede on the cozy, cheesy goodness of this dish. The microwave is going to be your best bet for reheating the leftovers as it will reheat quickly without losing too much moisture. Make sure to keep the dish partially covered to hold in the steam, and stir occasionally to help it reheat evenly.
Mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet with the olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until it becomes fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), basil, oregano, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine and continue to cook and stir until the tomatoes are hot.
Cut the cream cheese into chunks, then add it to the hot tomato sauce in the skillet. Continue to cook and stir until the cream cheese has melted into the tomatoes and created a smooth and creamy sauce (use a whisk, if needed).
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the tortellini. Once boiling, add the tortellini and continue to boil for about three minutes, or until they are all floating (make sure to check the package instructions for the recommended cook time). Drain the tortellini in a colander.
While the tortellini is draining, roughly chop the spinach into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped spinach to the sauce in the skillet and stir to combine, allowing the heat to wilt the spinach.
Add the drained tortellini to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce.
Sprinkle the Parmesan over top and stir to combine. Give the tortellini a taste and adjust any salt or seasonings to your liking. Serve hot and enjoy!
How to Make Spinach Tortellini Skillet – Step by Step Photos
Mince four cloves of garlic, then add them to a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add one 28oz. can of petite diced tomatoes to the skillet (with the juices), along with ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Stir the ingredients together and continue to heat over medium, stirring occasionally.
Once the tomatoes are hot, cut 4 oz. of cream cheese into chunks, then add it to the skillet.
Continue to cook and stir the sauce over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted in and created a smooth and creamy sauce. You can use a whisk, if needed, to help the cream cheese melt into the sauce well.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 19oz. frozen cheese tortellini. Allow the tortellini to boil for about 3 minutes, or until it’s all floating (check the package directions for recommended cooking time). Drain the tortellini in a colander.
While the tortellini is draining, roughly chop about 2 cups of fresh spinach into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped spinach to the sauce in the skillet and stir it in, allowing the heat to wilt the spinach.
Add the drained tortellini to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce.
Sprinkle about ¼ cup Grated or shredded Parmesan over top, then stir to combine.
Give the tortellini one final taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! We found that between the canned tomatoes, cream cheese, and Parmesan, no additional salt was needed for our taste buds. A pinch or two of crushed red pepper would also be awesome!
We’re still deep into cozy soup season, so I’m enjoying my pasta soup style this evening in this super creamy tortellini soup. It’s got a rich and creamy tomato-based broth, hearty cheese tortellini to sink your teeth into, a medley of veggies, and everything you’re going to want on a chilly winter night. Plus, the leftovers are awesome, so come lunchtime tomorrow, you’ll be really glad you made it. ;)
What’s in Tortellini Soup
This soup, at its core, is super basic, but the ingredients add up to big flavor and a hearty bowl that will keep you full. Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients in this delicious tortellini soup:
Vegetables: This soup starts like many other soups with a mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrot) plus a little garlic for good measure.
Tomatoes: I’ve added two tomato products to this soup, tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. The tomato paste helps thicken the broth and gives a deep tomatoey flavor, while the crushed tomatoes give the soup volume and a little more texture.
Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth gives this soup volume and dimension to the flavor.
Italian Seasoning: I kept the seasoning simple here by using an Italian seasoning blend instead of using several individual spices. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can substitute it with a mix of basil and oregano.
Cheese Tortellini: The star of the show! I used a bag of frozen small cheese tortellini to give the soup extra belly-filling power. You can use just about any flavor of tortellini you’d like for this soup.
Heavy Cream: A splash of heavy cream makes the broth extra lush, but you can skip it if you’d like! I love adding the cream because it makes the soup taste like a really rich tomato soup.
Spinach: I finished the tortellini soup off with a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach to give the soup balance and a little more color. You can skip the spinach or add some frozen chopped spinach in its place if you wish.
Buying Tortellini
Tortellini is one of the most expensive ingredients in this soup, so make sure you’re shopping wisely! In most major grocery stores you’ll be able to find tortellini in three places: with dry pasta, in the freezer section (near frozen bread), and with fresh pasta in the dairy case. I find that the frozen tortellini is usually the best price, and you can even use half the amount of tortellini in this recipe if you need to reduce the cost further. If using dry tortellini, you’ll need to boil the tortellini in the soup slightly longer and you may need to add extra water.
What Else Can I Add?
Italian sausage makes a great addition to this soup if you want something a little more meaty, or you could even sauté some bacon in the pot before the vegetables for even more richness. Want to make it extra cheesy? Sprinkle some grated or shredded Parmesan on top of each bowl just before serving.
How to Store Tortellini Soup
After cooking, divide the tortellini soup into single-serving portions and refrigerate until ready to eat. For longer storage, you can transfer the containers to the freezer after they’re fully chilled. To reheat, microwave on high until the soup is heated through, or reheat in a saucepot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to a large soup pot along with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions soften (about 5 minutes).
Add the tomato paste and continue to stir and cook over medium heat for about three minutes more.
Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and dissolve any tomato paste off the bottom of the pot.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup up to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the frozen tortellini to the soup and boil for about 3 minutes, or the recommended time on the package needed to cook the tortellini.
Turn the heat off. Stir the heavy cream into the soup. Stir the fresh spinach into the soup until wilted.
Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste (we added about ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper).
Dice one yellow onion, two carrots, and two stalks of celery. Mince four cloves of garlic. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to a large soup pot along with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions have softened.
Add four tablespoons of tomato paste to the pot and continue to sauté with the vegetables for about three minutes more.
Add one 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes, 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning blend, and 4 cups vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and dissolve any tomato paste off the bottom of the pot.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, and allow the soup to come up to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add one 19oz. package of frozen cheese tortellini to the soup and continue to boil for 3 minutes, or as long as needed according to the package directions to cook the tortellini.
Turn the heat off and stir ½ cup heavy cream into the soup (optional).
Add about four large handfuls of fresh spinach to the soup, then stir it in and allow the spinach to wilt.
Give the soup a taste and adjust the salt or other seasonings to your liking (we added ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper).
I like my tortellini soup garnished with a light sprinkle of Parmesan and some freshly grated black pepper. 😋
We make soup for dinner all of the time, especially during the cold winter months. A few favorites include: Minestrone Soup, White Bean Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and this Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup. This soup has it all…sausage, tortellini pasta, vegetables, and cheese. It is the perfect one pot meal and always… 
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