Vegan Veggie Tortellini Soup

By
Nea Arentzen
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Nea Arentzen
Nea is a writer, recipe editor and developer who loves cooking and all things food.
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Published on 12/7/22
Tested by Joan Velush
Vegan veggie tortellini soup

The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 8 cups

Nothing is better than cozying up on the couch with a big bowl of warm soup. Especially one filled with tortellini and hearty vegetables. 

What is Tortellini Soup?

Tortellini soup has always been one of my favorite recipes to make during the colder months. It’s filling, it’s typically pretty healthy depending on what you add, and it’s a crowd pleaser which is always a plus. It’s often made with a flavorful tomato-based broth, tortellini, kale, sometimes sausage and an additional veggie, a generous pour of cream, and Parmesan. 

Make it Vegan

This vegan tortellini vegetable soup uses Kite-Hill’s Dairy-Free Ricotta or Spinach Tortellini, which if you haven’t had it before, is easy to love whether you’re vegan or not. And because I adore a creamy aspect to–let’s face it, just about any recipe–I couldn’t resist adding a swirl of cashew cream at the end. 

How to Make Cashew Cream

  1. Place 3/4 cup raw cashews in a saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then take off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Drain the cashews, transfer them to a blender, and add 3/4 cup water.
  3. Starting on low speed and increasing the speed gradually to high, blend the cashews until very, very smooth.


Keep leftover cashew cream refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If the cashew cream separates as it sits, simply give it a good stir to bring it back together.

What to Serve With Vegan Tortellini Soup

Although the soup is great eaten by itself, I like to make either a side of garlic bread (using your preferred vegan butter) or a light arugula salad. If I end up with leftover kale, I also like to make kale chips to snack on on the side.

“This is a delicious hearty soup, packed with veggies, fresh herbs, and vegan tortellini. Adding a little dairy free parmesan adds a touch of richness to the soup.” —Joan Velush

Vegan Veggie Tortellini Soup/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter, optional

  • 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

  • Fine salt, to taste

  • 2 cups diced carrots, about 1-inch pieces

  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 6 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 (9-ounce) package vegan tortellini, such as Kite Hill brand

  • 4 cups coarsely chopped kale

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons cashew cream, optional

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Dairy-free Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make vegan veggie tortellini soup

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  2. Heat olive oil and vegan butter, if using, in a large pot over medium until the oil shimmers and the butter melts. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Onions cooking in a large pot

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  3. Add carrots, sweet potato, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, rosemary, and dried oregano. Cook, stirring, until garlic and herbs are fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Carrots, sweet potato, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, rosemary, and dried oregano added to the cooked onions

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  4. Add wine and tomato paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is mostly evaporated and tomato paste looks dark red, 1 to 2 minutes.

    Wine and tomato paste added to the vegetable mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  5. Add the broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the sweet potato and carrots are fork- tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

    Broth added to the pot of vegetables

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  6. Stir in the tortellini. Cover and cook until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

    Tortellini added to the pot of vegetable soup

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  7. Stir in kale and cashew cream, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Kale and cashew cream added to the vegetable tortellini soup

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

  8. Serve garnished with dairy-free parmesan, if desired.

    A bowl of vegan vegetable tortellini soup topped with vegan parmesan cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Preethi Venkatram

Recipe Tip

Although boiling the broth for a long period of time might be tempting to help deepen the flavors even more, the sweet potato and carrots will overcook and become mushy if cooked for too long. It’s better to start with a flavorful vegetable broth.

Make Ahead

The broth can be made ahead of time and either stored in the fridge or freezer, however in that case, wait to add the carrots, sweet potatoes, tortellini, and kale until ready to serve so they don’t get too mushy. Once ready to eat, add the broth, carrots, and sweet potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, then follow remaining steps as written.

Recipe Variations

  • If you don’t like sweet potato, you can substitute butternut squash instead. 
  • If choosing to add a dairy-free cream, you can substitute a soy-based cream for cashew cream (or your preferred dairy-free cream).
  • You can also substitute tortellini with another vegan filled pasta or use a regular pasta shape instead (like orecchiette or even orzo).

How to Store or Freeze

Although this recipe is best eaten day-of, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days. The soup can also be frozen for up to a month. (Keep in mind, the carrots, tortellini, and sweet potatoes will all become mushier if not eaten day-of).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
389 Calories
9g Fat
60g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 389
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 1510mg 66%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 9g 31%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 70mg 352%
Calcium 273mg 21%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 988mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)