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Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup

September 22, 2021
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Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.
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Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.

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Everyone has that one food that reminds them of their childhood. You know, that one food that your mom, dad, or grandma would whip up for you that by no means was fancy, but was still one of the best bites you’ve ever had. To me, it’s grilled cheese and tomato soup. A long day at the pool? A sick-day lunch? Or even in the midst-of a ten day snow storm? My mom always made me this nostalgic meal. With tons of butter, a somewhat burnt crust, and the cheddar cheese from a block, that grilled cheese was truly epic…like, for real, it knocks any fancy “adult” grilled cheese out of the park. With that buttery goodness, she always cracked open a can of the classic Progresso chunky tomato soup. At the time, this tasted like heaven… probably because it served as the best dunking material for my grilled cheese. 

Today, however, I’m more into this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup. There’s just something about the fresh and creamy base that’s truly a bite from heaven. Better yet? Throw those carbs right into the mix in the form of tortellini and you don’t have to worry about whipping up grilled cheese on the side. Really, there’s nothing bad about this soup. You have to try it!!

the breakdown…

This Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup is truly so simple. In my opinion, one of the best parts about soups is that they usually come together with only a few dishes, and are usually pretty quick and easy. Nobody wants a soup that destroys their kitchen and takes days on end to perfect… they just don’t. Hence, this dish can be broken down into just a few steps.

Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.

First up, you’ve got to sauté some onion with herbs and spices. Sweet onions are truly the best in any tomato sauce or tomato based soup. You’ve got that acidic tomato and a sweet cruciferous bite from the onion that’s truly unmatched. Plus, I love a good chunky soup. Yes, you could puree this soup to make it smoother, if that’s your thing. But I love a good bit of texture thrown into everything. 

so much flavor!

After a quick saute of the onion, go ahead with more cruciferous flavor from tons of garlic and some dried herbs. I read something the other day that said something along the lines of “everyone who truly loves food is obsessed with garlic,” and I cannot agree any more. It brings out all of the good flavors of the soup, but also makes for the perfect, pungent bite. Don’t skimp on the fresh garlic!! Oh, and definitely don’t use the pre-jarred stuff. It’s not nearly as flavorful, and is made in a pretty gross way (I’ll spare you the details). Plus, if you hate peeling garlic, there’s always garlic presses like this one that don’t require any peeling at all. Truly a lifesaver!!

Next up, stir in some dried oregano, dried basil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simple seasonings, yet the perfect Italian flavor. There’s really no need to add anything else crazy — trust me. With these seasonings, go ahead and stir in some tomato paste and flour. Mixing up the tomato paste really well to make sure it fully covers all of the onion. This allows for your onions to get that good, thick, and fully integrated texture once they cook down in the soup. 

the healthy parts…

And, although the addition of the flour in this soup can be somewhat controversial, it’s also necessary for the perfect soup texture. By mixing it in with the tomato paste, you build a healthier “roux” of sorts, except using tomato paste instead of butter. Told you this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup was healthier, didn’t I? 

Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.

Oh, and, given that this soup starts off with this cheater roux, I don’t wait until the end to pour in my milk and parmesan cheese. In a typical creamy soup, the dairy is poured in at the end — just before serving. But, in those soups, you really need to use a fuller fat product, such as full fat milk or heavy cream. In this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup recipe, I like to use a lighter milk, such as Almond, Skim, or Oat milk and just a little parmesan cheese. Thus, I’ve got to pour that milk and cheese in with our fake roux to ensure that it does not split (break apart into speckles) due to a low fat content, but that it fully integrates into the base of our soup. So, although you are using a little bit of flour, which can be viewed as a less healthy option, it’s really the better trade off from using a shit ton of heavy cream and butter, if you ask me. 

the bulk of it…

The next step is much more intuitive. Go ahead and pour in your diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and tortellini. If you like a smoother soup, you can use all tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. Or, you could even leave out the tortellini momentarily and blend it all up in a blender or with an immersion blender. But, personally, I like the way the chunky tomatoes and onions play off of each other — making this more of a complex soup than just your basic canned tomato bisque. 

In this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup, I opt to use dried, not fresh, tortellini. Honestly, both are delicious choices, but I just typically prefer boiling my pasta into all of the good flavors from the soup. Plus, given that this recipe allows you to throw everything into one pot and let it cook down, it’s a pretty easy task. But, hey! If you have a favorite fresh cheese tortellini brand, you could definitely use that, too. Simply mix it in just before serving to heat it through and you’re golden.

Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.

Lastly, mix in some baby spinach for a little greens and some more texture. You could definitely leave out the spinach, if you would like. But, once again, I love the texture it brings to the dish. Plus, it’s a pretty easy way to get in some greens that don’t feel healthy. After it’s all wilted down, it’s time to serve up your Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup! I like to top mine with some fresh basil and more parmesan cheese (because more is always more) and get to eating!

how to serve it up!

This ​​Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup is truly the best family dinner. I love to make this for a cozy meal on a rainy fall day, or pretty much any day in the winter. I mean, January is pretty miserable around here, and soup never fails to make everything better. Plus, this dish is super quick, easy, and satisfying for those busy weeknights. Better yet? This dish uses very few dishes and makes for the perfect lunch for the next day. Serve it up as is, with some garlic bread, rolls, or even some homemade naan. You could even go with a side of a buttery grilled cheese. Either way, it’s the ultimate healthy comfort food!

I hope you love this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))

Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup
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Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Soup, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Cheese tortellini tossed into a cozy, hearty bowl of homemade tomato soup with tons of parmesan and fresh spinach: this Lightened Up Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup makes for the best warming dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp dried basil

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

  • 3 tbsp tomato paste

  • 2 tbsp flour

  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated

  • 1 cup milk or milk alternative*

  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

  • 1 28 oz can tomato sauce (or “puree”)

  • 1 32 oz carton chicken stock (about 4 cups)

  • 2 tsp sugar

  • 2 9oz packets dried cheese tortellini*

  • 4 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

  • sliced basil, to serve

  • Parmesan cheese, to serve

Instructions

  • In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Once the onion is translucent, toss in the garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and flour. Stir for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is well combined and the garlic is fragrant. Then, pour in the parmesan and the milk and mix well. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until the milk begins to thicken.
  • Pour in the diced tomatoes, pumpkin , tomato sauce, chicken stock, sugar, and dried tortellini. Bring the liquids to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through.
  • Stir in the spinach and cook for another minute, or until it is completely wilted. Serve with fresh basil and more parmesan cheese, as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • I use dried, not fresh, tortellini. But, you could also use fresh tortellini and toss it in at the end to warm through. 
  • I like to use almond milk for this recipe to keep things lighter. You could also use creamy or a dairy free creamer, to make things richer.
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