3-Ingredient Pesto Tortellini Soup Recipe

Quick meals are a necessary component of any weeknight cooking repertoire, and Mashed recipe developer Tanika Douglas has just the dish for the purpose. Her three-ingredient pesto tortellini soup combines premade ingredients for excellent results. Douglas says that "the simplicity of the flavors, hearty vegetable broth, salty, creamy spinach and ricotta tortellini, and aromatic, vibrant pesto," come together into a "cozy, easy, and truly delicious soup." 

While her formula features only three star ingredients, there are plenty of ways to customize it to your liking. Add a few leaves of fresh basil and grated pecorino cheese to the garnish for an extra oomph, per Douglas' suggestion. "If you're hosting a dinner party, this soup would be the perfect way to start the meal because it's so easy to prepare," she says, but you could just as easily increase the portion and savor it as your main. If it's acting as the intro, she suggests following it up with a classic Sunday roast chicken and veggies or risotto, or serve it with homemade garlic herb bread for what she deems "the most divine combination."

For this recipe, you'll need vegetable broth, fresh spinach and ricotta tortellini, and basil pesto.

Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot, and bring to a boil.

Add the tortellini and cook according to the packet directions, or until al dente.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the pesto.

Although this soup is ready in 15 minutes or so, you may find that you want to get the minimal cooking done in advance so that you don't have to deal with pots come dinnertime. Douglas confirms that's totally feasible, and she instructs home cooks on the optimal storage and reheating methods to ensure that you don't end up with mushy tortellini. 

Especially if you're preparing it ahead of time, be sure to cook the tortellini only until the pasta is al dente. "Once the tortellini has been cooked in the broth, remove them from the pot and store in an airtight container in the fridge," Douglas says. Keep the broth in a different airtight container so the tortellini doesn't sit in it, in which case it will become soggy and break into pieces over time. "When you're ready to eat, add the soup and tortellini to bowls, heat the bowls in the microwave, and finish with the pesto," she says. Any other garnishes should also be added at this point.

Part of this soup's appeal is its simple, three-ingredient nature, but once you start eating it more frequently, you may want to switch it up. If you don't have vegetable broth at home and aren't following a vegetarian diet, Douglas notes that either chicken or beef broth can be substituted. Meanwhile, the main component — spinach and ricotta tortellini — is only one of many possible options. Most grocery stores carry a variety of packaged tortellini with fillings such as beef, mushrooms, or mixed cheeses. "I've used a roasted pumpkin tortellini before, and it was so tasty!," Douglas says. Simply follow the same steps with the tortellini of your choice.

In fact, Douglas even suggests swapping in stuffed ravioli if that's what you have on hand or are in the mood for. For the most part, basil pesto should pair well with the fillings, but if you find you need to look for an alternative, there are plenty of options. Even a simple swap, such as sun-dried tomato pesto, will instantly change the flavor profile.