Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup

You don’t have to decide between pasta and soup with this Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup—you can have both. Loaded with antioxidant-rich veggies, this soup is studded with tender bites of cheese-filled tortellini, all in a creamy, velvety broth with the bold flavors of basil and garlic. This soup is comforting and cozy without feeling heavy. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to tell when the tortellini are finished cooking.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• To ensure that the carrots and onions cook at the same rate, cut them into similar-size pieces.
• You want to make sure your carrots are tender before adding the pasta, as the carrots have the longest cook time. 
• If you don’t have tortellini, substitute it with 2 cups of short pasta, mini ravioli or gnocchi. Additionally, you can replace the fresh basil with 1 tablespoon of dried basil.
• Heavy cream is typically available at the supermarket; however, it may be labeled as whipping cream depending on the brand.

Nutrition Notes

• Cheese tortellini is a cheese-filled pasta that not only brings texture and flavor to this soup, it also adds nutrients, including carbohydrates. While cheese tortellini may contain a variety of cheeses, regardless of the type, they add protein and calcium to your bowl. 
• Vegetable broth typically doesn’t add a whole lot of nutrition since the veggies are usually strained out. But you do want to watch out for the added sodium. Choose a reduced- or no-sodium-added broth, especially if you have high blood pressure or your body is sensitive to sodium. 
• The vegetables in this soup each add their own set of nutrients but all add some fiber and antioxidants. This means they’ll help you poop better and lower inflammation in your body. Including enough veggies in your day-to-day routine has a ton of other benefits, too, including supporting your immune system, heart and brain.