That Spicy Chick

Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

This Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup is made with ground chicken, veggies, aromatics, fresh basil and mint leaves, and pillowy ricotta and spinach tortellini. Everything is simmered in a velvety and rich tomato cream broth! It’s quick and easy to make in one pot, incredibly flavorful, and ultra cozy and comforting! Perfect for busy weeknights and cold weather!

Creamy tomato basil tortellini soup in a blue Dutch oven on top of a floral grey napkin.

Oh.My.God. You guys. I have created the most perfect and delicious winter warmer soup! And I’m crazy excited to share it with you all today! 🤗

So it turns out, my Spicy Chicken Penne Pasta was the most popular recipe on the blog in 2019. And I totally get why you guys loved it so much. I mean what can beat a FAST, easy, made with everyday ingredients, exploding with flavor, and made in ONE PAN pasta dinner!?

I was planning on making it the other night for the GAZZILIONTH time again since it’s one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes too. ❤️ But then inspiration struck me. The cold weather got to me. And I was off and on a roll!

Just like my Spicy Chicken Penne Pasta, this Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup is incredibly flavorful, speedy, easy to make, and made in one pot. It’s basically a soup form of the pasta dish, and it’s made with almost all the same pantry ingredients. (I only went out and bought the fresh tortellini and fresh herbs. The rest I always have on hand always, and I’m thinking you do too!) It’s extra hearty and filling because I threw in some diced carrots and a can of chili beans, as well as loaded up this dreamy and creamy tomato soup with pillowy, heavenly parcels off cheese – aka spinach and ricotta tortellini! 😍

Close up of tomato basil tortellini soup with pinto beans, ground chicken, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese in a white round bowl with a silver spoon.

This tomato basil tortellini soup is perfect for this time of the year given the cold weather that just won’t STOP, and it’s guaranteed to warm up your insides in no time. It’s also robustly flavorful and creamy (without using any heavy cream). I think you and your family are really going to love this ultra cozy and comforting weeknight soup!

So without further ado, let’s dive in and make some Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup! 🤗

Two diagonally placed bowls of creamy tomato basil soup with tortellini, ground chicken, pinto beans, diced carrot, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese. Bowl in front has a silver spoon in it.

INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious, cozy, and hearty soup:

  • Chicken: I used some ground chicken and cooked it through first to add in the soup. But you’re welcome to use any diced or shredded cooked chicken breasts or thighs if you have it on hand. You can also use some shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer. You’ll need about 2-2.5 cups chicken.
  • Olive Oil: To cook the ground chicken. You can omit this if you are using already cooked chicken.
  • Unsalted Butter: For cooking the soup, and to add a lovely buttery and rich flavor.
  • Veggies & Aromatics: Just some onion, carrots, garlic, and fresh red chilies. Feel free to omit the red chilies or deseed them if you want to make this soup mild.
  • Dry White Wine: To glaze the pot after sautéing the veggies and aromatics. I use sauvignon blanc, but unoaked chardonnay or pinot grigio will work too.
  • Canned chopped tomatoes: I use Waitrose’s chopped Italian tomatoes with olive oil & garlic. But any type of canned chopped tomatoes will do. You can also use fire roasted tomatoes for an extra bold and smoky flavor!
  • Chili Beans: I use S&W brand Chili Beans, which is made with pinto beans, chili peppers, onion, and garlic and is in a mild tomato sauce. I love the extra flavor it adds to the soup! But feel free to use any other canned beans you prefer such as pinto, butter, or cannellini beans. If using a can of beans without any sauce, you may want to add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste and extra ground cayenne. (See notes in recipe card.)
  • Black Olives: Thinly sliced please. They add a spectacular, mild nutty flavor to the soup!
  • Low Sodium Chicken Broth: Be sure to use a good quality chicken broth for best flavor.
  • Cooking Cream: This may be called single or light cream depending on where you live. It’s a cream with 20% fat content, so it’s not super rich and heavy. But if you would like to make this soup lighter, you can opt to use half and half or whole milk instead.
  • Seasonings & Spices: Good old kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper to season the soup. You’ll also need some ground cayenne, crushed red pepper chili flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and mint flakes. You can reduce the amount (or omit) the ground cayenne and crushed red pepper if you want to make this soup mild. I like to use La Chinata Smoked Paprika (Hot) because it’s incredibly robust and flavorful, but you can use a sweet one if you prefer.
  • Parmigiano Reggiano (or Parmesan) Cheese: As always, I recommend buying a block and grating the cheese at home yourself. It’ll melt more evenly, and won’t have any of the anti-caking agents or preservatives the bags of pre-shredded cheese do. You’ll need some to add to the soup, as well as more for topping your bowls with.
  • Fresh herbs: This soup is super flavorful thanks to having plenty of fresh basil and mint leaves! I like to use chopped Thai Sweet Basil. But Italian or Israeli basil leaves taste delicious in this soup too!
  • Tortellini: I used fresh refrigerated tortellini with a ricotta and spinach filling. But you can use or any type of cheese tortellini you like! If using frozen tortellini, simply add a few minutes extra to the cook time and cook until it’s nice and tender. Same goes for packaged dry tortellini, which you can find in the pasta section in supermarkets.
Tomato basil tortellini soup with pinto beans, chicken, diced carrot, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese in a white round bowl with a silver spoon.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY TOMATO BASIL TORTELLINI SOUP

Cook the chicken: Heat a bit of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the ground chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon/spatula as you go. Once the chicken has fully cooked through, transfer it to a clean bowl and set aside.

Ground chicken cooking in a dutch oven on the stovetop.

Sauté veggies & aromatics: In the same pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once frothing and foamy, add the onion and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until they’ve softened. Add the garlic and red chilies and sauté for another minute or two until fragrant.

Sautéed softened diced carrots, onion, garlic, and chopped red chilies in a pot on the stovetop.

Deglaze: Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pot, making sure to scrape up any brown crispy bits at the bottom (also known as fond) of the pot.

Deglazing pot on stovetop with sautéed diced carrots, onion, garlic, and chopped red chilies with dry white wine.

Simmer: Add the canned chopped tomatoes, chili beans, sliced olives, low sodium chicken broth, cooking cream, and all of the seasonings and spices. Stir to combine and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tomato basil soup with sliced black olives, vegetables, and red chilies simmering in a Dutch oven on stovetop.

Add cheese, herbs, tortellini, and chicken: Mix in the cheese until fully melted. Then add the basil and mint leaves, tortellini, and cooked ground chicken back into the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tortellini is nice and tender. Then switch off the heat.

Creamy tomato soup with tortellini, ground chicken, sliced black olives, and fresh basil leaves simmering in a Dutch oven on the stovetop.

Serve!: Transfer the soup to serving bowls, and garnish with chopped basil leaves and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Then enjoy!!

Front view of two diagonally placed bowls of creamy tomato basil soup with tortellini, ground chicken, pinto beans, diced carrot, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese. Front bowl has a silver spoon.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions in the recipe card below.

STORING AND REHEATING

This soup will last in the fridge for 3-4 days in sealed airtight containers. So you can make for meal prep too if you like. The best way to reheat this soup is in a pot on the stovetop. Simply add the soup in a pot and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until fully heated through. Then top with extra freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and basil leaves if desired and enjoy! (Note: If the soup gets too thick after storing in the fridge, just add water or chicken broth as needed to thin it out.)

You can also reheat this soup in the microwave for one or two minutes until fully heated through.

IS THIS SOUP FREEZER FRIENDLY?

Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this soup because the tortellini won’t freeze well and the cream might split.

However, if you would like to freeze this soup, I recommend not adding the cream, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, tortellini, basil, and mint leaves. Make it without these ingredients and then cool the soup completely. Transfer it to either freezer friendly containers or freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to three months.

To reheat and finish cooking: Then when you would like to have this soup, thaw in the fridge overnight (it won’t defrost completely, but that’s no problem). Add it to a large Dutch oven or stockpot, and heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes until heated through. Mix in the cream and cheese first. Once the cheese has melted, add the tortellini, basil, and mint leaves and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini is nice and tender.

Top with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired, then enjoy!

A spoon holding up a bite with a tortellini, ground chicken, sliced black olive, carrot, chopped tomato and grated cheese above two bowls with tomato tortellini soup.

VARIATIONS AND SPECIAL DIETS

If you’d like to customize this soup, you can…

  • Make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free tortellini or other gluten-free pasta.
  • Use a different protein: Feel free to use Italian sausage, ground pork, turkey, or beef if you prefer. If using cooked diced/shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken, you can add it to the soup when adding the tortellini at the end. You’ll need about 2-2.5 cups of chicken.
  • Make it vegetarian: Simply omit the ground chicken. Or you can swap for a plant-based ground meat product such as Beyond Beef®.
  • Make it vegan: Ditto the above, and use a dairy-free cream product. Or you can also a dairy-free milk such as coconut or almond milk for a lighter version. Also, be sure to use a vegan unsalted butter, vegan cheese, and a vegan cheese tortellini. Alternatively, just use another type of pasta such as gnocchi (fresh refrigerated, frozen, or shelf-stable in a package), or dry pasta like large shells or penne.
  • Use a different pasta: You’re welcome to swap the tortellini for fresh refrigerated ravioli, raviolini, or gnocchi if you like. I love using fresh gnocchi when I have it on hand, and I can vouch that both regular and sweet potato gnocchi taste delicious in this soup! Alternatively, you can use a dry pasta such as large (or small) shells, penne, cavatappi, fusilli, farfalle, etc. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the cook time to ensure that the dry pasta is fully cooked and tender.
  • Omit the alcohol: Dining with kids or simply prefer not to cook with alcohol? No problem! You can deglaze with half a cup of chicken broth instead.
Tortellini, olive, and carrot cube and creamy tomato basil soup on silver spoon, and a bowl of creamy tomato basil soup with tortellini, beans, diced onion and carrots, and sliced olives topped with grated cheese with a silver spoon.

MORE COMFORTING SOUPS

Looking for more delicious and comforting soups to warm you up? Below are my tried and true faves! ♡

Or if you prefer to have some noodles in your soup, try one of my favorite Asian soup noodles below!


MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

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Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

Close up of tomato basil tortellini soup with pinto beans, ground chicken, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese in a white round bowl with a silver spoon.

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5 from 1 review

This Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup is made with ground chicken, veggies, aromatics, fresh basil and mint leaves, and pillowy ricotta and spinach tortellini. Everything is simmered in a velvety and rich tomato cream broth! It’s quick and easy to make in one pot, incredibly flavorful, and ultra cozy and comforting! Perfect for busy weeknights and cold weather!

  • Author: Lavina
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6-7 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 480 grams/1 pound ground Chicken (also known as minced chicken in Asia.)
  • 1 TBLS Olive Oil
  • 2 TBLS Unsalted Butter
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion – diced
  • 1 large Carrot (350385 grams) – diced
  • 6 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 58 Red Chilies, to taste and deseeded depending on your heat level preference
  • ½ cup Dry White Wine (I use sauvignon blanc, but unoaked chardonnay or pinot grigio would work too!)
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans chopped tomato (I used chopped Italian tomatoes with olive oil & garlic. But you can use any type of chopped canned tomatoes, including fire roasted for an extra bold and smoky flavor.)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can Chili Beans (I use S&W Chili Beans with pinto beans, chili peppers, onion, garlic in a zesty tomato sauce. But feel free to use any other canned beans you prefer such as pinto, butter, or cannellini beans. See notes.)*
  • 12 pitted Black Olives – sliced
  • 56 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 200ml Cooking Cream (Single Cream) – (Use half and half or milk if you want to make this lighter.)
  • 2 TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • 1.5 TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste
  • 1 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Chili Flakes, to taste
  • 1 TSP Smoked Paprika (I use La Chinata Smoked Paprika (Hot) because it’s incredibly robust and flavorful, but you can use a sweet one if you prefer.)
  • 1 TSP Garlic Powder
  • 1 TSP Onion Powder
  • 2 TSP Mint Flakes
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Parmesan) Cheese, plus more for serving
  • 3540g Italian or Thai Sweet Basil Leaves (about 2 cups loosely packed) – washed, dried, and chopped
  • ½ cup fresh Mint Leaves – washed, dried, and chopped
  • 2 (250 grams/8 ounce) packs fresh refrigerated or frozen Tortellini of your choice (I used a tortellini with a ricotta and spinach filling. See notes.)*

Instructions

  1. Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon/spatula as you go. Once cooked through, transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
  2. Sauté veggies & aromatics: In the same pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Once frothing and foamy, add the onion and carrots. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and red chilies, sauté for another minute or two until fragrant.
  3. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pot, making sure to scrape up any brown crispy bits at the bottom of the pot.
  4. Simmer: Add the canned chopped tomatoes, chili beans, olives, low sodium chicken broth, cooking cream, and all of the seasonings and spices. Stir to combine and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add cheese, herbs, tortellini, and chicken: Mix in the cheese until fully melted. Then add the basil and mint leaves, tortellini, and cooked ground chicken back into the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5-7 minutes, or until the tortellini is nice and tender. Then switch off the heat.
  6. To Serve: Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with chopped basil leaves and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serve immediately! (Or cool quickly and refrigerate in airtight sealed containers for 3-4 days. See notes.)

Notes

  1. Chili Beans vs. regular canned beans:  If using a regular can of beans without any sauce, you may want to add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste and a bit of extra ground cayenne. Have a taste just before Step 5, and you can add it in then if you feel it needs some tomato flavor or spice.
  2. Frozen vs. fresh refrigerated vs. packaged dry tortellini: If using frozen tortellini, simply add a few minutes extra to the cook time and cook until it’s nice and tender. Same goes for packaged dry tortellini.
  3. Storing & reheating leftovers: You can store this soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in sealed airtight containers. So you can make for meal prep too if you like. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fully heated through. Then top with extra freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and basil leaves if desired and enjoy! If the soup gets too thick after storing in the fridge, just add water or chicken broth as needed to thin it out. You can also reheat this soup in the microwave for one or two minutes until fully heated through.
  4. Making ahead & freezing: If you would like to freeze this soup, I recommend not adding the cream, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, tortellini, basil, and mint leaves. Make it without these ingredients and then cool the soup completely. Transfer it to either freezer friendly containers or freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to three months. Then when you would like to have this soup, thaw in the fridge overnight (it won’t defrost completely, but that’s no problem). Add it to a large dutch oven or stockpot, and heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes until heated through. Mix in the cream and cheese first. Once the cheese has melted, add the tortellini, basil, and mint leaves and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini is nice and tender. Top with extra grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired, then serve immediately.
  5. To make it gluten-free: Use a gluten-free tortellini or other gluten-free pasta.
  6. Use a different protein: Feel free to use Italian sausage, ground pork, turkey, or beef if you prefer. If using cooked diced/shredded chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken, you can add it to the soup when adding the tortellini at the end. You’ll need about 2-2.5 cups of chicken.
  7. To make it vegetarian: Simply omit the ground chicken. Or you can swap for a plant-based ground meat product such as Beyond Beef®.
  8. To make it vegan: Ditto the above, and use a dairy-free cream product. Or you can also a dairy-free milk such as coconut or almond milk for a lighter version. Also, be sure to use a vegan unsalted butter, vegan cheese, and a vegan cheese tortellini. Alternatively, just use another type of pasta such as gnocchi (fresh refrigerated, frozen, or shelf-stable in a package), or dry pasta like large shells or penne.
  9. Use a different pasta: You’re welcome to swap the tortellini for fresh refrigerated ravioli, raviolini, or gnocchi if you like. I love using fresh gnocchi when I have it on hand, and I can vouch that both regular and sweet potato gnocchi taste delicious in this soup! Alternatively, you can use a dry pasta such as large (or small) shells, penne, cavatappi, fusilli, farfalle, etc. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the cook time to ensure that the dry pasta is fully cooked and tender.
  10. If omitting the dry white wine: If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, you can deglaze with half a cup of chicken broth instead.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 large bowl
  • Calories: 691
  • Sugar: 11.6g
  • Sodium: 1634.2mg
  • Fat: 27.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 11.6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 73.3g
  • Fiber: 13.2g
  • Protein: 35g
  • Cholesterol: 106.4mg
Close up of tomato basil tortellini soup with pinto beans, ground chicken, and sliced black olives topped with grated cheese in a white round bowl with a silver spoon.

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One comment on “Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup”

  1. Soups are my favourite, be it anytime of the year i can just hog on to it. Creamy tomato basil tortellini seems to be more flavourful than a classic tomato soup. The recipe is quick and easy, Thanks for sharing.






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