Creamy Tortellini Soup Recipe - Flavorful, Easy Homemade Soup! (2024)

FAQs

How can I make my soup more creamy? ›

The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I've even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.)

Substitutes for heavy cream can include options like a soy milk-olive oil combo, evaporated milk, and coconut cream, among others. Heavy cream features in a wide variety of recipes, including soups, sauces, homemade butter, ice cream, and sour cream.

Cook for 4-5 hours, then add the tortellini the last 30 minutes. Add spinach, parmesan cheese, and cream a few minutes before serving. Storage Instructions: Keep tortellini soup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

"Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on. This helps you get the flavors you're looking for in the right balance.

Milk + cornstarch

To replace one cup of heavy cream, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 1 cup milk, whisking well to break up any clumps. Cornstarch requires heat to thicken, so add the slurry to soups and sauces and simmer for at least 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.

"The majority of issues with a creamy soup come from undercooking the vegetables," explains Rick Martinez, associate food editor at BA. They should be uniformly soft, with no resistance or "bite"—otherwise, they will not stand up to the blender. You'll be left with a soup that's watery in portions and lumpy in others.

Keep in mind that this evaporated milk will make your dish taste richer, but it won't actually thicken the soup. You can always use a bit of flour or cornstarch if you're missing that added texture. Otherwise, you'll find evaporated milk the best dairy addition for your classic slow cooker favorites.

Use what you love! Cream: Half and half, heavy cream, light cream or thickened cream all yield similar results, however heavy cream adds richness. Flour: We need flour to create that delicious, creamy texture mushroom soup is best known for. You can leave it out and use cornstarch if you wish.

Is evaporated milk the same as heavy cream? ›

Evaporated Milk – With a similar consistency, you can use a 1-to-1 swap of evaporated milk for heavy cream in most sweet and savory dishes. Its flavor is richer with unique caramelized tones and is not a lower-fat option, but evaporated milk makes do in a pinch.

Not only will you get all the richness and milky flavor you need, but you'll also get a little extra tangy flavor. Most of the time, all you need to do is substitute the sour cream at a one-to-one ratio for the milk.

To a separate mixing bowl or cup, add half and half and all-purpose flour. Whisk together well. This will help thicken up the soup. Add this mixture to the pot along with chicken broth.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

STORING AND FREEZING TORTELLINI SOUP

This soup will keep in the refrigerator for about five days and reheats well. The tortellini do tend to become pretty soft, but everything tastes so good that I don't mind. If this bothers you, cook and store your tortellini separately and add it to each individual bowl.

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Other Thickener: Starches thicken soup and give it body. Whisk a few tablespoons of starch into a little of the broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot.

Thicken with Dairy

Dairy can curdle your soup, so make sure to stick to higher-fat content products (coconut milk, heavy cream, sour cream) instead of milks. For the best results, add heavy cream to your soup toward the end of cooking, when it's not boiling.

For virtually anything but the brothy bois, like chicken noodle soup or Italian minestrone, you could also stir in some coconut milk, warmed cream, or crème fraîche to add body and richness.

Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.