Now that the holidays are behind us, we are facing down a long, cold winter. Yuck! Which means there’s nothing better than nice, hot soup. Soup like this simple tortellini soup.

I don’t love much about the winter. In fact, the only thing I really like is the food. I love warm soups and satisfying chilis. Eating dinner out of a bowl is so comforting. And after nonstop cooking over the holidays, I love the simplicity of a one pot meal that yields lots of leftovers. Cook once, eat twice (or three or four times) is a philosophy I can get behind.

So, I thought I’d share some of my favorite soups with you this month, starting with this simple tortellini soup.

Why You’ll Love It:

I make several versions of pasta-based soup. Some are rich and creamy, like my creamy tortellini soup, rich gnocchi soup, and lasagna soup (recipes coming soon–in fact, tell me which one you’d like me to post first). And others are light, but filling.

This simple tortellini soup falls into the latter category. The tortellini give the soup a little extra heft, so it sticks with you for a bit. But it’s a broth-based soup so it’s light and bright, rather than heavy. There’s nothing worse than eating a big bowl of soup and feeling hungry half an hour later.

Simple tortellini soup is easy to make and relies heavily on pantry staples. Some cheese tortellini–fresh or frozen work fine, fresh spinach, a lemon and parmesan cheese are combined with onions, garlic, canned tomatoes and veggie broth and salt and pepper to create a heartwarming meal.

This is also an easy vegetarian recipe. So if you are having vegetarian guests for dinner, or doing meatless Monday, tortellini soup is a great option. Plus, you can easily make it vegan with a few quick alterations. Simply swap a vegan tortellini for the cheese tortellini and use nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan cheese. Kite-Hill makes a dairy free tortellini.

Add some fresh bread and a green salad for a simple, satisfying, and nutritious meal.

How to Make Simple Tortellini Soup:

Simple Tortellini Soup is a 30 minute meal. It’s easy enough for a week night, and flavorful enough for company.

To make the soup, begin by heating 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1/2 cup chopped onion and sauté until the onion pieces are translucent and fragrant. Then add the tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, just until lightly browned. Be sure to keep a close eye on it, so you don’t let the garlic burn.

Then stir in a half teaspoon of salt and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.

Add one 28-ounce can of tomatoes and 6 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

When the soup is boiling, add a package of fresh or frozen tortellini and cook according to package direction (about 5-7 minutes), until tender.

Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 4 cups baby spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

Simple tortellini soup in bowl with bread

Enjoy!

Simple tortellini soup is perfect for a snowy winter evening. Or a rainy day. We haven’t got much snow this winter, but it has been non-stop rain here, and the damp weather often leaves me feeling chilled.

Simple tortellini soup is a great recipe to bring to a soup swap or an open house. And it makes great leftovers.

I love to heat up leftover simple tortellini soup for lunch, or send it to school in a thermos.

Tortellini soup is delicious with a loaf of crust bread. And it pairs equally well with a dry white wine as it does with a light red. Try it with sauvignon blanc or pinot noir.

Happy Eating!

PS: Want another delicious, warm, comfort dish that’s perfect for cold nights? Try my Easy Chicken and Dumplings.