Tortellini Beef Soup (Printer-friendly)

Hearty soup with cheese tortellini, seasoned ground beef, and cherry tomatoes in a creamy broth. Perfect comfort food in just 40 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)

→ Pasta

06 - 10 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)

→ Broth & Dairy

07 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
08 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Seasonings

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
11 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the cherry tomatoes, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften.
04 - Pour in the beef broth and bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions (usually 4–6 minutes), until just tender.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and baby spinach (if using). Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the soup is heated through and the spinach is wilted.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have a rich, hearty meal on the table even on a busy weeknight.
  • The creamy broth clings to the tortellini in a way that feels indulgent but doesn't require fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • It's flexible enough to handle whatever vegetables or greens you have wilting in the crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the tortellini or they'll get mushy and fall apart in the soup, so keep an eye on the timer and taste one a minute before the package says they're done.
  • Add the cream after the broth has come off a full boil, otherwise it can break and look grainy instead of silky.
  • If you're planning to have leftovers, store the tortellini separately and add them to reheated broth, because they soak up liquid and get soggy overnight.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before adding salt, because the Parmesan and broth can be salty enough on their own, and it's easier to add more than to fix an oversalted pot.
  • If you want a thicker soup, mash a few of the softened tomatoes against the side of the pot to release their juices and create a slightly richer base.
  • Fresh tortellini cooks faster and tastes better than dried, so if you can grab a package from the refrigerated section, it's worth the extra dollar.
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