Spring Tortellini Soup (Print Page)

Light Italian soup with fresh vegetables, cheese tortellini, and aromatic herbs in a savory vegetable broth.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz fresh cheese tortellini

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 3.5 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
08 - 3.5 oz baby spinach

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Garnishes

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots and zucchini; cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Add tortellini and sugar snap peas. Simmer according to tortellini package instructions (usually 3–5 minutes), until pasta is al dente and peas are bright green.
06 - Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • The vegetables stay bright and crisp instead of turning into mush
  • That hit of lemon zest at the end makes everything sing
02 -
  • The tortellini will continue absorbing liquid if you store leftovers, so the soup will be thicker the next day
  • Add the tortellini only when the broth is already boiling or they will start to break apart prematurely
  • Lemon zest at the end is not optional, it completely changes the flavor profile
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables before you start cooking since everything moves quickly once the heat is on
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith

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