• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Easy Wholesome

Easy wholesome recipes

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
    • Brownies
    • Cakes
    • Cheesecake
    • Cookies
    • Frozen Treats
  • Drinks
    • Cold Drinks/Smoothies
    • Hot Drinks
  • Kid-friendly
  • Main
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
  • Salads
Home » Instant Pot Tortellini Soup

Lunch

Instant Pot Tortellini Soup

Created On: October 24, 2021  |  Updated: August 31, 2022  |   7 Comments

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Pin
Yum
Share
WhatsApp
Email
Tweet
Share

This Instant Pot Tortellini Soup is super rich and creamy with cheesy tortellini, fresh baby spinach, and carrots. It’s perfect for a quick and easy, hearty meal for busy weeknight dinners. Can easily be made gluten-free with gluten-free tortellini.

For me, this wholesome and filling soup is perfect: it’s easy, it’s quick, it’s less mess, and takes no time to clean up! If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no problem, I’ve included stovetop directions.

I love meals that are quick and easy like this Instant Pot Turkey Breast. It just makes dinners easier to plan and cook. And if there are fewer pots to clean, even better!

That’s why I love this tortellini soup. It’s so easy, healthy and doesn’t require my presence in the kitchen all day. It’s ready in 30 minutes and is both filling and scrumptious!

close-up of instant pot soup

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Frozen cheese tortellini
  • Broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • Water
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Fresh baby spinach
  • Heavy cream

ingredients for instant pot tortellini soup

How to make Instant Pot Tortellini Soup:

Turn the Instant Pot to saute and heat the oil. Add in the celery, carrots, and onions and cook.

vegetables being sautéed in instant pot bowl
Add the garlic and cook a bit more. Add the tortellini, broth, water, salt, and pepper and cook.

tortellini tossed into the bowl of instant pot
When the instant pot has finished, release the pressure manually.

 

tortellini shown after cooking in instant pot
Add the spinach and cream and stir.

 

adding spinach and cream to instant pot bowl
Garnish and serve

In just 30 minutes, you can serve up a wholesome one-pot meal that tastes warm and cozy.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

I used frozen cheesy tortellini for convenience, and it works exceptionally well. You can also use fresh tortellini if you prefer with the same cook time.

 

ladle picking up instant pot tortellini soup

Stove Top directions for tortellini soup:

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make this tortellini soup easily on the stovetop.

Just saute the onions in a little olive oil, then add the garlic and saute a bit more. Then add the stock, the celery and carrots, and bring to a boil. Once the carrots are soft, add the tortellini.

The tortellini should be submerged, so if you need to add more liquid, add more stock to the pot. Turn the heat on medium-high, and bring it to a boil. Once it boils (in about 5 minutes), reduce heat to simmer and cook until the tortellini starts to float.

At this point, to keep the heavy cream from curdling when you add it to the hot soup base, add a pinch of baking soda, then the heavy cream and spinach. You may notice a little fizz, but that’s normal, just stir, then serve.

Don’t add the heavy cream if the soup is boiling, that is a sure-fire way of getting a curdled soup and we don’t want that. Instead, add the heavy cream once the tortellini have simmered and the soup base has cooled.

 

bowl with soup and red pepper flakes on top

Can I add protein?

Sure! Italian sausage would be a great addition. First, brown the meat and drain the grease before adding it to the Instant Pot. It will add more flavor and character and you know the meat will be cooked through. It’s an extra step but doesn’t require much effort.

Pressure cooking infuses all the great flavors, and adding Italian sausage will add to the soup’s tasty heartiness.

Can I use dried tortellini?

Yes, I used frozen tortellini, but you can use dried or fresh tortellini if you like. However, unlike fresh or frozen tortellini, if you use dried tortellini, you will need to make some adjustments.

First, you need to adjust the cooking time to half of what is mentioned in the instructions on the pasta box. Plus, you need a little more stock. Instead of the 3 cups of broth, I would start with 5 cups of liquid. You can add more if needed once the cooking cycle is completed.

Dried pasta can really absorb the broth, so just make sure to add that extra liquid on the front end.

 

spoon with tortellini on it

What can I substitute for tortellini?

Fresh or frozen ravioli works great, too. You can use any pasta you have on hand really. But if you use dried pasta, then you need to follow the steps above using dried tortellini.

Can I add more veggies?

Certainly! You can make this soup as satisfying and hearty as you like. You might like to throw in some potatoes, zucchini, corn, broccoli, green beans or mushrooms. 

If you’re adding frozen corn or peas, I’d wait to throw them in until towards the end, just to heat them thoroughly.

You can also substitute spinach with kale if you prefer. Or leave it out altogether if you like. I would suggest using fresh spinach though and not canned or frozen to get the freshest flavor.

If you like your soup with a little kick, you can add some red pepper flakes to give it a little more umph! Or if you’re in the southwest, add some roasted green chilis for an extra delight.

I also think garnishing this soup with a bit of grated parmesan would be superb! It’ll add a little extra texture and taste.

 

bowl with soup and spinach on top

Can I make this soup gluten-free?

Yes, all you need is gluten-free tortellini. If you have a hard time finding it, you can use your gluten-free pasta or even try gnocchi.

You can find gluten-free tortellini at Whole Foods Market or Target or order them online. The Gluten-free Mall has a big assortment of gluten-free products including 4-cheese tortellini!

Can I freeze this tortellini soup?

Yes and no! I am not a fan of freezing cooked pasta. It just gets mushy. But you do have some options!

You can make the base of the soup in the instant pot minus the tortellini, heavy cream, and spinach, and freeze it to make later. Let the veggies and broth and spices pressure cook for 5 minutes (after pressure has built up). Depressurize it and let the soup base cool completely.

Then you can transfer to freezer-safe bags, squeeze out all of the air, seal and store it in the freezer for 2 or 3 months.

When you’re ready for the Tortellini soup, just thaw the soup base overnight in the fridge. Add the base to the Instant Pot.

Press the button on “saute” – set to ‘normal’ and bring the soup base to a boil. Add in the tortellini and once they start to float you can add the spinach and cream, stir, garnish and serve.

 

spoon in bowl of instant pot tortellini soup

Do I have to use heavy cream?

No, you can sub half-and-half if you are wanting to reduce some calories. I wouldn’t use skim milk because this soup is meant to be a hearty creamy soup and if you use skim milk, it will be more like milky broth, which might be ok for you, but I just prefer that super creamy base.

I’m not sure about using coconut milk as there would likely be some coconut taste to the soup.

You can omit the dairy altogether if you like. I think it would be just as delicious, just not creamy.

Other hearty recipes:

If you like this Instant Pot tortellini soup, you might also like these other recipes:

Using an Instant Pot:

These Instant Pot Potatoes Colcannon are traditional Irish mashed potatoes that are packed with flavor using cabbage or kale. It’s incredibly easy to make and can be made vegan, Whole30 or paleo.

This Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip is a crowd-pleaser. It’s super cheesy and great for parties.

If you have a slow cooker, this Venison Chili is amazing. It’s perfectly spiced for cold winter nights.

Using a stovetop or slow cooker:

This Corn Chowder is another super creamy soup that adds the freshest tastes of harvest. It’s made with fresh corn, sweet onions, potatoes, fresh thyme and bits of bacon.

This Healthy Taco Soup is a family favorite. It’s hearty and satisfying and perfect for the season. It’s naturally gluten-free and freezes great!

This Kid-friendly Chili has secret hidden (pureed) veggies and is perfectly spiced for the little ones.

I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Tortellini Soup. If you make it or any other recipe you find here, I would love to see pics and hear about your experience. Just tag 📸 and follow #fooddoodlesrecipes so that I can find them easily. Enjoy!

 

No ratings yet

Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 40 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium celery stalks chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 large garlic cloves minced
  • 4 cups frozen cheese tortellini*
  • 3 cups (710ml) broth chicken or vegetable
  • 1 cup (236ml) water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup (30 grams) fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup (236ml) heavy cream

Instructions

  • Turn on the Sautee function of your Instant Pot. Once it's hot, add the olive oil.
  • Once the oil is hot, add in the carrots, celery, and onions and cook for 5-7 minutes o until softened a bit.
  • Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Add the tortellini, broth, water, salt, and pepper.
  • Set it to High Pressure for 4 minutes. Check that the valve is in the sealing position.
  • Caefully do a manual release (switch the valve to the venting position).
  • Stir in the spinach and cream. The spinach will wilt almost immediately.
  • Ladle into bowls and garnich with Parmesan, if desired.
  • Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • Make sure to use gluten-free tortellini if you're gluten-free.
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @easywholesome or tag #easywholesome!

posted in: Dinner, Lunch

Previous
Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
Next
Pumpkin Spice Macarons

Reader Interactions

    Leave A Reply! Cancel reply

    Share your thoughts!
    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Comments & Reviews

  1. Jamie says

    This was great for an easy family dinner! We loved how creamy the soup was and the spinach added a great pop of color! It warmed us right up!

    Reply
  2. Kari | Chef and Steward says

    This was such a huge hit over the weekend that I had to return to share how lovely this recipe is.

    Reply
  3. Moop Brown says

    I’m always looking for more instant pot recipes to try and this one looks super tasty and easy to make. Thanks

    Reply
  4. Brianna says

    This soup is hearty, healthy and easy to make! Huge flavor payoff for little effort.

    Reply
  5. Heidy says

    This Instant Pot Tortellini Soup was excellent. I did the stovetop method (I have an instapot. However, I like doing my pasta on the stove. My sister made hers in her instapot and loved it. Two great methods that everyone loved. Great recipe.

    Reply
  6. Linda says

    Loving this recipe! So comforting and flavorful

    Reply
  7. Allyssa says

    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing tortellini soup recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Erin - Author of Easy Wholesome.

Hey, I'm Erin!

My aim is to create simple, healthier recipes that – most importantly – taste just as yummy as the original not-so-healthy versions! No cardboard-y or grain-y taste here.

More About Me
Subscribe

Easy + Wholesome Newsletter

Subscribe to get all the latest recipes in your inbox!

Featured Recipes

  • slice of healthy chocolate cake
    Healthy Chocolate Cake
  • blanched broccoli in water bath
    How to Blanch Broccoli (super quick, easy!)
  • You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to put these chicken leg quarters together. This recipe is ridiculously easy and the result is way more flavorful and delicious than you would imagine.
    Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
  • frozen chicken breasts in air fryer basket
    Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
  • air fryer turkey burgers on parchment paper
    Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
  • Healthy Cinnamon Apple Muffins

Featured on:

Buzzfeed logo.
Huffpost Logo.
Kitchn logo.
LC Lauren Conrad logo.
msn logo.
serious eats logo.
shape logo.
womens health logo.

Easy + Wholesome Newsletter

Subscribe to get all the latest recipes in your inbox!

Easy Wholesome Logo

My aim is to create simple, healthier recipes that – most importantly – taste just as yummy as the original not-so-healthy versions! No cardboard-y or grain-y taste here.

Browse

  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
  • Drinks
  • Kid-friendly
  • Lunch
  • Salads
  • Sides

Diets

  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Grain-free
  • Paleo
  • Keto
  • Whole Wheat

Texanerin Baking

Want even more? Visit my other site for all your baking favorites!

Visit Texanerin Baking
©2023, Easy Wholesome. All Rights Reserved. Press About Contact Disclosure & Privacy Statement
Design by Pixel Me Designs
×

Easy + Wholesome Newsletter

Subscribe to get all the latest recipes in your inbox!

Pin
Yum
Share
WhatsApp
Email