Name: Tuscan Tortellini Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts; 1 yellow onion, diced; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp garlic; 8 oz chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained; 32 oz chicken broth; 1 to 2 cups of water (can sub for additional chicken broth or milk); 1.5 tsp thyme; 1.5 tsp oregano; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 3 cups spinach, packed then chopped; 20 oz cheese tortellini (use a 10 oz bag if you want it more brothy); 1 cup low fat milk; 1 cup cottage cheese; Parmesan cheese for topping

This delicious and healthy tuscan tortellini soup is the perfect family friendly soup recipe for the cooler weather. It is full of marry me chicken flavors, made with no heavy creamy, and loaded with cozy tortellini for a satisfying bite that the entire family will love.

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As soon as the temperature drops below 70 degrees I’m whipping out my reliable soup pot. I love soups of all kinds. Vegetable soups. Creamy soups. If you can put it into a broth, I’m turning it into a family friendly soup!

Lately, one of my absolute favorite soup recipes is this delicious and hearty tuscan tortellini soup recipe. It’s full of creamy, sun-dried tomato marry me chicken flavors and has a healthy twist because its a creamy soup with no heavy cream!

Loaded with cheese tortellini, protein from the chicken and dairy products, and plenty of opportunity for extra vegetables, I think this delicious soup will be a go-to recipe for you all season long.

Let’s get to the recipe:

Tuscan Tortellini Soup

What makes this healthy tuscan soup with tortellini so delicious:

You’ll love this tuscan tortellini soup because it is:

Fully of marry me chicken flavors: Marry me chicken is known for its creamy, sun-dried tomato flavors and those are fully captured in this tuscan tortellini soup. Yum!
Made with no heavy cream: I put my dietitians twist on this one by swapping the heavy cream for low fat milk blended with cottage cheese. Trust me, this soup is still SUPER creamy and has a boost in protein and nutrition from these little swaps.
Perfect for a crowd: This soup is hearty (we maybe should call it a stew…) and makes about 8 servings making it the perfect dinner recipe for a table of hungry kids or a gathering of friends!
Customizable: Soups are incredibly forgiving when it comes to which ingredients work or not and this creamy tuscan soup recipe is no different. You can add other vegetables like extra spinach, kale, or even diced squash for a boost in color.
Freezer friendly: Most soup recipes can be prepped, enjoyed, and have the leftovers stored in the freezer to come back to. You can freeze this soup as well but I do recommend keeping the tortellini OUT of the freezer and simply adding it when you are ready to serve this soup.

There is so much to love about this delicious soup recipe! It’s one of my families favorites and I think it will be a favorite in your home too.

How to make a healthy soup recipe:

Soups are actually an excellent vehicle for a healthy dinner. Some of my favorite ways to build up a healthy soup recipe is to:

Load it with veggies: You can use fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables in most soup recipes making soup an incredibly easy way to get more colorful foods into your diet.
Add beans: Beans are a great source of fiber and plant-based protein and the perfect healthy ingredient to include in your soup recipes.
Use lean meats: I make most of my soup recipes with chicken breast or lean ground beef for a boost in protein and nutrition.
Choose a whole grain for your noodle: Ok ok this recipe calls for tortellini, you caught me, but you can always add whole grains to your soups such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta for a fiber boost.
Find creative ways to add protein: This is a creamy soup with no heavy cream and instead gets its creamy texture from a blend of milk and cottage cheese. This not only enhances the creaminess but also adds protein! You can also add protein by using ingredients like bone broth or nutritional yeast.
Lean into herbs, not salt!: While soups are some of my favorite recipes to enjoy in the colder months, they can be quite salty! Cut down on the salt by using low sodium chicken broth, simmering your chicken in the broth for more flavor, and using mainly herbs for seasoning.

Simmer your way to a healthier dinner with a balanced soup recipe that checks all the protein, color, and high fiber grain boxes!

Looking for a way to add beans to a soup? Try my **Sausage Kale and White Bean Soup**

Get the recipe

Ingredients and Instructions:

Ingredients:

This tuscan soup with tortellini is full of delicious and nutritious ingredients like:

Chicken breast: We are going to simmer our chicken breast in the broth until fully cooked to enhance the flavor and give you soft, juicy chicken. If you want to save time, you can use pre-cooked and shredded chicken like cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken.
Chicken broth: Feel free to use low sodium chicken broth.
Cheese tortellini: I think the three cheese tortellini works the best in this recipe but you could also use the spinach and ricotta or other flavor tortellini that you like.
Milk: This is going to be a swap for heavy cream in this creamy soup.
Cottage cheese:. Blending cottage cheese with milk gives you the perfect, high protein heavy cream alternative and adds a creamy texture to your soup.
Sun-dried tomatoes: I like to use the pre-chopped ones in the jar.
Spinach: Use fresh or frozen spinach.
Tomato paste: A tomato and tortellini soup base is always delicious and the tomato pasta adds the perfect boost of tomato flavor along with your sun-dried tomatoes.
Onion: Diced and sautéed until fragrant.
Garlic: Sautéed and fragrant.
Butter: You can swap for any oil that you prefer.
Parmesan: For topping and extra flavor!
Seasonings: We add a lot of tuscan flavor with seasonings like salt, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. I used dried seasonings but you can certainly add some fresh!

Flavorful ingredients for the most flavorful and cozy soup recipe!

Tuscan Tortellini Soup Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1

Dice your onion then add your garlic, butter, and onion to a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute for 5-6 minutes or until your butter is melted and your onion is fragrant.

Step 2

Add your seasonings, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken breast, water and broth then cover and bring to a simmer over medium/high heat. (Your chicken should be fully submerged in the liquid).

Step 3:

At medium heat, simmer for 15-25 minutes until your chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165. Remove the chicken, finely shred it in a seperate bowl, and add back to the soup pot.

Step 4:

Add your chopped spinach and tortellini and simmer for another 10 minutes over low/medium heat. Your tortellini and spinach should be softened.

Step 5:

While your soup simmers, place your cottage cheese and milk in a blender and blend until smooth.

Stir your milk mixture into the soup pot and allow it to warm for 5 more minutes, adjusting any flavors as needed. If you want to thin the broth, you can add 1 cup of water or an additional cup of milk.

Step 6:

Serve your tuscan tortellini soup in bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

What to serve tortellini tuscan soup

Here are a few sides and serving ideas that you can pair with this creamy soup recipe:

Toasted sourdough bread.
Roasted vegetables like parmesan roasted brussel sprouts
A kale and beet salad
Grilled cheese
Fresh Bruschetta
Green beans and almonds

And more! Tag me on instagram with any fun ideas or pairings that you come up with!

Recipe FAQ:

Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
1. Yes, and it will save you time. Simply add it to the pot at the point that this recipe calls for shredding the chicken then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Can I use heavy cream?
1. Of course. Milk blended with cottage cheese gives you a high protein, lower calorie alternative to heavy cream but you can sub both of those ingredients with 1 to 2 cups of heavy cream.
Can I freeze this soup?
1. You certainly can freeze this soup but you may lose some quality of the tortellini when it reheats. For best results, I would recommending freezing this soup just after your chicken is cooked then add the tortellini and dairy products just before you are ready to serve.

Other soup and crockpot recipes you will love:

Looking for cozy dinner ideas? Here are a few soup and crockpot recipes that I have on my blog:

Crockpot Salsa Verde Shredded Pork

Get the recipe

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken Orzo

Get the recipe

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Tuscan Tortellini Soup

Tuscan Tortellini Soup