A quick and easy one-pot vegetarian tortellini soup which is great for a busy weeknight dinner. Load all of your ingredients into one pot (fewer dishes, yay!) and enjoy a big bowl of comfort that works well packed for lunch the next day too. Perfect addition to the weekly meal plan.
One-Pot Creamy Garlic Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
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This vegetarian tortellini soup will forever be known as freezer soup in my house as it has been my go-to recipe to make huge batches of and freeze just before a new baby comes along.
Make the soup base, freeze, and simply thaw, reheat and add some tortellini and kale to fill things out.
Perfect!
This vegetarian tortellini soup ticks all the boxes:
- only uses one pot
- consists of simple ingredients
- is freezer-friendly
- is meal prep-friendly
- and depending on your kids, is usually quite a popular addition to the dinner table (if your kid doesn't like green you can always leave out the kale to save on the fight)
It sure is a handy little recipe to have on hand.
The tortellini makes it nice and filling, but the sauce is relatively light and balances the whole dish out just perfectly.
I am hooked.
A Note On Ingredients
Tortellini
As I am sure you are aware, not all tortellini is created equally.
Be sure to check the ingredient label on the packet to make sure you are happy with the listed ingredients.
I love using a simple spinach and ricotta version of tortellini in this soup, but feel free to add whatever flavor combination works for you (pumpkin and feta go well with the ingredients used here as well).
Vegetable Broth
Use a good quality vegetable broth for this tortellini soup, as it forms the base of the dish and a lackluster broth won't do you any favors.
Be sure to check the labels to make sure the salt-content is not too high.
Alternatively, you could always make your own vegetable broth using leftover veggie scraps saved and kept in the freezer.
Diced Tomatoes
Again, check the ingredient label to ensure the salt content is not through the roof and that no other unnecessary ingredients have been added.
Alternatively, you could sub in fresh chopped tomatoes.
To equal the amount of tomatoes found in the cans you would need to chop about 10-12 depending on size.
How To Store Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
Store any leftover and cooled down vegetarian tortellini soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This soup can also be frozen.
For best results freeze the soup base before the tortellini and kale has been added.
To do this:
- Make the soup to the point where the tortellini and kale should be added (do not add the tortellini and kale);
- Remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool completely;
- Transfer the soup to a freezer-friendly container and place into the freezer for up to 2 months;
- When ready to eat, remove the soup from the freezer and allow to thaw completely;
- Reheat on the stovetop and bring to a simmer;
- Once simmering, add in the tortellini and the kale, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, and serve.
Need More Soup Recipes?
When the cold weather hits soup recipes are always a welcome addition to the weekly meal plan.
Try these delicious homemade soups out next:
- Hearty One-Pot Stuffed Cabbage Soup
- Glowing Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
- Sarah's Tortellini Soup For The Soul
- Creamy Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup
- Comforting Cauliflower Leek Soup
- Potato Leek and Bacon Soup from KJ's Food Journal
Do you have any go-to freezer meals I should know about?
I love to hear from you, so be sure to pop back and let me know if you try out this creamy garlic tortellini soup! Happy eating.
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
Tortellini and Creamy Garlic Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth (to see how to make your own see notes)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5oz/400g cans) for fresh see notes
- 1 can chickpeas, (14.5oz/400g) drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp each fresh oregano, thyme, parsley and basil
- 9 oz fresh tortellini
- 2 cups kale, shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender.
- Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, chick peas, whole milk, parmesan cheese, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
- Add in the tortellini and kale. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post has been updated from the original April 2017 version to provide more information for the reader.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
I make piles and piles of baked ziti and use it to stock my freezer, and have a meal to bring a friend who needs one due to surgery, illness, a new baby, or anything else that throws their life off balance! Food is the best gift ever!
Sorry your Mum is leaving soon, it's always hard (I know this from experience)
Traditionallymodernfood says
Congrts for new bundle of happiness. With little one one pot meals are such boon . I stil remember those days when my son I was born I mostly do one pot meal almost every day. I love garlic floavours this looks yum
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Congratulations. It's a topsy-turvy world right now but such a wonderful time. Anyway, who needs sleep and schedules?? ?I can say a resounding YES to garlic. Love the stuff and who knows I may make a gelato out of it. Your soup sounds like sheer comfort. Delicious!!
swathi says
This kind of creamy soup is needed on busy night. I like the fact that this is can be made in one pot and easy to put togher.
Natalie says
Wow, this tortellini soup looks soooo creamy. Yum! Lovely flavor pairings. I bet this taste just delicious 🙂 My kiddo loves tortellini, and I'm super sure he's gonna like this. I'll be making this for him soon.
Amy says
One pot soups are the best! This looks and sounds delicious! Congrats on the new little one!!
Molly Kumar says
Hey Donna, Congratulations on the lil bundle of joy!! sounds like the schedule will be all over the place and what I've learned from all my mommy friends is that one-pot meals are definitely the life savers. This creamy garlic tortellini soup looks so delicious and I've bookmarked to try later.
ManilaSpoon says
I love tortellinis and my kids always ask me to buy them from the grocery and they're good for those busy nights when there's no time to make anything from scratch and so they go with a soup!! Love that this delicious soup is one of those I can try for my next batch off tortellinis!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Congratulations to your addition and life sure can take a whole turn around with those little bundle of joy. Love the quick and easy soup and I can definitely use this on a very busy weeknight.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
First off...CONGRATULATIONS on the new addition. Treasure the moments....they grow way too quickly. Believe me, now that I am a gramma...even my grandkids are growing too fast. This soup looks so delicious. Easy and perfect to leftovers....which you will welcome for sure.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Normal is definitely subjective and I'm glad things have quieted down for you. This soup looks like the perfect thing to enjoy.
Donna1 says
Right?? My normal is definitely different now to what I thought was normal a couple years ago 🙂 How things change!!
Sarah says
Oh this soup looks so creamy and comforting! Perfect postpartum meal. Now that my baby is 8 months, I'm doing all those tasks while he crawls around the kitchen rather than having him strapped to me - and I honestly think the baby wearing days were easier for getting work done! Congratulations on your new addition!
Donna1 says
Oh I know right!! Once they start moving its a totally new kettle of fish. Luckily for me, my other two were late crawlers, so we shall se with this one 🙂 Baby wearing definitely makes thing easier (for the moment)
Eileen says
First of all Congrats on the new addition to the family!!! This soup looks wonderful. Freezer meals are a must when trying to wrangle three little ones.
Donna1 says
Oh I know right!! I had no idea how important they would be until now 🙂 Thanks!!
Adriana says
Soups are always a great dish even in a hot weather. A good soup is perfect starter or a main dish when served with a salad. Lovely recipe =)
Donna1 says
Thanks Adriana!! I am definitely a soup all year round kinda girl, although I know for a lot of people it is more of a comfort food to be enjoyed in winter 🙂
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Ooh I always need more freezer meal recipes! Thank you! I'd need to make it without the dairy but I bet it's just as delicious. I love tortellini soup!
Veena says
That looks like a whole lot of nutrition in one bowl. So scrumptious. .. Love the color. And I love that you added kale.. Yum.
Donna1 says
Oh we have monstrous kale plants growing in the backyard, so that stuff gets added to everything 🙂
peter @Feed Your Soul Too says
This is such a great comfort food dish and meal. I like that you added kale. Adds an earthiness and some more texture to the dish.
Donna1 says
We are HUGE kale fans (weirdly even the kids love it). We also have the most ginormous kale plants growing in the back yard so it has been making its way into more and more dishes these days 🙂