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This vegan tortellini soup is so cozy and satisfying. Store-bought, plant-based tortellini makes it easy to prepare the soup in 30 minutes. The addition of beans, greens, and vegetables make the this one-pot meal as wholesome as it is comforting!
There are many plant-based product innovations that I’m happy to see in the world, yet don’t often use.
A bottle of vegan Caesar dressing, for example. I love the stuff, but I’m more than happy to make my own.
I could probably get excited about plant-based crab cakes or fish sticks, mostly as an excuse to eat vegan tartar sauce. But seafood was never really for me, so I’m not in a rush to try the vegan incarnation.
There are vegan meats that I love, but burgers, which are the focus of a lot of plant-based innovation, don’t top my list.
Tortellini, though?
Vegan tortellini is something I’m very happy exists, and I buy it regularly.
You can make this cozy vegan tortellini soup with the plant-based stuffed pastas that are available in stores these days.
The soup is filling, hearty, nutritious, and fast. What could be better?
The wisdom of semi-homemade meals
Just keeping it real here: I don’t actually make the vegan tortellini that goes into this soup.
I’d like to make my own tortellini at some point. Lately, though, recipes that are significantly easier than homemade pasta have been a challenge. So I’m taking some of my own advice and choosing a shortcut.
Week after week, I join my Telehealth appointments and assure clients that it’s not only OK, but actually very wise, to rely on tasty store-bought products if it’ll make preparing meals easier.
I encourage them to try some wholesome frozen dinners or breakfast burritos, to use plant-based deli slices or store-bought smoky tempeh strips in a sandwich, or to heat up some vegan meatballs.
Tofu feta and cashew cheese are great, as are other homemade vegan cheeses. But so are store-bought vegan cheese shreds, slices, and blocks, which seem to get better and better.
And while it’s lovely to go to the farmer’s market, pick up whatever’s in season, and turn it into a meal, it’s also very smart to keep bags of frozen veggies in the freezer.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve defrosted broccoli florets or green beans in the microwave, added a pat of vegan butter and a pinch of salt, and called it a day when no other type of vegetable preparation seemed feasible.
In other words, short cuts are good. They signal a willingness to accept life the way it is and make smart choices within that reality.
Vegan tortellini is a short cut that I’m happy and very willing to take. Stuffed pasta is one of my favorite things, and I’m so happy that plant-based options now exist.
Vegan tortellini isn’t an inexpensive shortcut. So I combine it with other, less spendy ingredients in this vegan tortellini soup recipe: beans, canned tomatoes, and vegetables.
What’s your favorite vegan tortellini?
I love the Kite Hill brand, which can be found in stores across the US.
When it comes to stuffed pasta in general, I’m also a big fan of vegan ravioli from Eat Nice, Amy’s (that comes as a frozen dinner), SoyBoy, and the Wegmans plant-based ravioli.
I’m less familiar with options abroad. One vegan tortellini that I know is available in Germany and Denmark—and possibly other countries in the EU—is the KoRo organic pumpkin and apple tortelloni.
How to make vegan tortellini soup
Stuffed pasta. Tomatoes. Beans. Kale.
I love the ingredients here, so the soup is a very easy win for me.
What makes it even better is the fact that it’s quick, easy, one-pot meal. Here’s how to prepare it.
Step 1: Sauté veggies
A standard soup-starting step, not to mention a starter step for many recipes! You’ll sauté onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent.
Step 2: Add garlic and tomato paste
Garlic and tomato paste help to build depth of flavor in this humble soup. You’ll sauté them for about a minute with the vegetables already in the pot.
Step 3: Add (almost) everything else
Time to put almost everything else in the pot!
This includes:
- beans (I like to use red kidney beans, but cannellini and navy beans are also nice)
- tortellini
- broth
- Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried herbs that fit the flavor profile)
- chopped kale
That’s it. This soup only needs to simmer for 15 minutes total after you bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to low. As a result, you can add the ingredients all at the same time, without worrying about overcooking any one of them
Step 4: Stir in some vegan parmesan cheese or cashew cream, if you like
I usually do like, though neither addition is essential.
A swirl of all-purpose cashew cream will make the tortellini soup every so slightly creamy, which can be a nice thing. Especially if you’re in the mood for extra comfort and coziness.
Vegan parmesan cheese, on the other hand, will lend a touch of saltiness and umami, savory flavor, just like regular parmesan cheese would.
In the spirit of convenience and shortcuts, there are store-bought alternatives to both of these extras.
Coconut cream or unsweetened vegan creamer will work in place of cashew cream.
If you don’t feel like making the parmesan yourself, then you could certainly use any one of the vegan parmesan cheeses that’s on the market these days.
Other nice toppings: toasted croutons, toasted seeds, roasted chickpeas.
Can the soup be made gluten-free?
Yes, it can be. There are a few options.
Gluten-free and vegan tortellini is a bit tricky to find. But the Taste Republic brand does make a vegan + GF tortellini that ships to the lower 48 states of the US and is available in some Whole Foods Markets.
If you’re gluten-free but not vegan, there are more gluten-free tortellini or ravioli options that do contain dairy, such as Maninis.
Also, this soup can absolutely be prepared with regular pasta, rather than stuffed pasta! A medium pasta shape, such as orecchiette or conchiglie, will work really well.
In this case, I guess it’s probably most accurate to call the soup minestrone, rather than tortellini soup. But that’s not a bad thing, after all. Minestrone is one of the nicest comfort soups I can think of.
How long will soup leftovers last?
Once prepared, the tortellini soup will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
It can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks.
The Vegan Week
Embrace the joy of eating homemade food every day with the hearty and wholesome recipes in The Vegan Week.
Whether you have three, two, or even just one hour of time to spare, The Vegan Week will show you how to batch cook varied, colorful, and comforting dishes over the weekend.
More hearty, one-pot soups
Yes, the timing of this post is a little funny. Spring has sprung, and everywhere I turn, I see recipes for summery fare.
In the meantime, I’m singing the praises of a great big pot of warm soup.
Honestly, though I can eat soup or some other type of one-pot meal happily at any point in the year. Especially if pasta is involved.
If this post has you excited for dinnertime, here are some more options that you might love:
- Lentil tomato pasta stew
- Vegan potato corn chowder
- Oh-so-simple tomato bread soup
- Creamy roasted garlic chickpea soup
- Red curry dumpling soup with kimchi
- Creamy vegan kale white bean soup
- Tomato orzo soup with kale
- Hearty vegan French lentil soup
- Cream of broccoli quinoa soup
- Vegan pasta e fagiole soup
And here’s the recipe that’s been feeding me well through a busy season.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, trimmed, peeled or scrubbed, and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounces diced or crushed tomatoes, with their juices (1 28-ounce / 800g can)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney or cannellini beans (240g, or one 15-ounce / 425g can, drained and rinsed)
- 2 1/2 cups vegan tortellini (one 9-ounce/255g package; substitute 1 1/2 cups of a small or medium pasta shape of choice)
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (830ml)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 1 small bunch curly or lacinato kale, stemmed and torn into small pieces (about 4 cups/60g after preparation)
- 2 tablespoons cashew parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping individual portions)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose cashew cream (60ml; optional)
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté the vegetables for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute, or until the garlic is fragrant.
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Add the diced tomatoes, beans, tortellini, broth, Italian seasoning, and kale to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Uncover the soup. Stir in the cashew parmesan cheese. If you’d like a slightly creamy consistency, stir in the cashew cream. Serve, topped with extra parmesan if desired.
Hoping that this easy meal finds its way onto your table on a night when you need both comfort and ease.
It’s lovely with lots of different side dishes: a simple kale salad, Greek salad, or another green salad; roasted or sautéed broccoli rabe or broccolini, grilled zucchini, etc.
Some focaccia, ciabatta, or toast can be really nice for dipping, too.
No matter what accompaniments you choose, enjoy!
