Tortellini Beef Soup (Printable version)

Tender tortellini with ground beef and cherry tomatoes in a rich, creamy broth. Comforting and ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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)

# Directions:

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. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth becomes this silky, rich masterpiece that youll want to drink straight from the bowl
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if you manage to have any
02 -
  • The tortellini will soak up the broth as it sits, so if you are making this ahead, keep some extra broth separate to thin it out when reheating
  • Do not let the soup boil hard after adding the cream or it might separate and look curdled
  • Ground turkey or Italian sausage both work beautifully if you want to switch things up
03 -
  • Brown the beef really well, almost until it is crispy in places, because that Maillard reaction adds depth to the entire soup
  • Grate your own Parmesan because the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly
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