Hearty Tortellini Beef Soup (Printable)

Creamy soup with tender tortellini, ground beef, tomatoes, and basil in a flavorful broth.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
05 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)

→ Broth & Dairy

06 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Pasta

09 - 10 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp dried basil
11 - ½ tsp dried oregano
12 - ½ tsp salt, or to taste
13 - ¼ tsp black pepper
14 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Mix in tomato paste, diced tomatoes with juices, dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour in beef broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld flavors.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and return soup to a gentle simmer.
06 - Add cheese tortellini and cook according to package instructions, typically 4 to 6 minutes, until they float and are tender.
07 - If using, stir in baby spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.
08 - Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 45 minutes start to finish, which means you can go from craving soup to sitting down with a full bowl before you've scrolled through your whole phone.
  • The tortellini stays tender because you add it at the very end, so you get those little pillows of cheese without any mushy mishaps.
  • That creamy basil broth is somehow both light enough for a weeknight and fancy enough to serve when people drop by unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Don't add the tortellini until right before serving if you're making this ahead, or it will absorb all the liquid and fall apart into sad, gluey clumps by the time you heat it back up.
  • The cream is what makes this soup feel special, but if you add it to a rolling boil, it can separate and look broken—keep everything at a gentle simmer and it'll stay silky and smooth.
03 -
  • If you want to lighten it, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, but know that it'll lose a little of that luxurious mouthfeel and might taste slightly sharper from the tomatoes.
  • Add extra vegetables like diced zucchini or carrots if you want more texture and bulk—just sauté them with the onion so they have time to soften.
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