Creamy Tomato Tortellini and Spinach Soup
From our kitchen · November 2, 2026
Refrigerated tortellini is one of the things I buy when I don’t know what we’re having for dinner.
It looks like a decision, even when it isn’t one yet.
A can of tomatoes and some broth usually get me the rest of the way. I start the onion, mince the garlic, and have a pot simmering before anyone has finished asking what’s for dinner. Soup is a useful answer. It sounds settled.
I let the tomato broth cook for a few minutes before adding the pasta. That gives me time to cut bread and put things away. Tortellini doesn’t need to spend long in the pot, and it’s much better when we eat it soon after it’s ready.
The spinach goes in by the handful. It looks as though I’m making an unreasonable amount of soup for a moment, then it wilts and leaves plenty of room. A little cream softens the tomatoes without making the broth too heavy.
Will likes to count the tortellini in his bowl. Ben likes to take one more while he’s counting. I try to stir before each serving so the pasta doesn’t all end up in the first two bowls.
There’s Parmesan on the table. Cheese inside the pasta apparently has no bearing on whether we need cheese on top.
If I’m planning on leftovers, I keep some broth aside and cook only the pasta we’ll eat that evening. Tortellini left sitting in soup gets larger than I want it to.
Fresh pasta for tomorrow’s portion takes a few minutes. Explaining what happened to the pasta overnight would take longer.
Creamy Tomato Tortellini and Spinach Soup
- Serves
- 4–6
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
½ cup heavy cream
4 cups baby spinach
Grated Parmesan, optional
Directions
- 1
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion 5 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and stir 1 minute.
- 2
Add tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes.
- 3
Add refrigerated tortellini and simmer for its package cooking time, usually 3–7 minutes, until tender.
- 4
Lower heat and stir in cream and spinach. Warm 2 minutes, until spinach wilts. Taste for salt and serve with Parmesan if desired.
Kitchen tip
For leftovers, store cooked tortellini separately from the broth when practical; add a splash of broth when reheating.
Got one your family asks for?
Send it in and we’ll run it in Riverpark West. Tell us how you’d like to be credited — or stay anonymous.
Share your family’s recipe