Tortellini Beef Soup Comfort (Printable)

A creamy basil broth with tender beef, cheese tortellini, and ripe tomatoes for cozy, flavorful dinners.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
05 - 2 cups baby spinach (optional)

→ Broth & Dairy

06 - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Pasta

09 - 10 oz fresh or refrigerated cheese tortellini

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp dried basil
11 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

15 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving

# Preparation Steps:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Mix in tomato paste, diced tomatoes with their juices, dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Pour in beef broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
05 - Stir in heavy cream and return the soup to a gentle simmer.
06 - Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions, typically 4 to 6 minutes, until they float and are tender.
07 - If using, stir in baby spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.
08 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's creamy and savory without feeling heavy or pretentious, just genuinely satisfying.
  • The whole thing comes together in under 45 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the guilt of shortcuts.
  • Tortellini does half the flavor work for you, so you can focus on building a silky, aromatic broth.
02 -
  • Tortellini gets mushy fast, so add it only when you're ready to eat or make it just before serving; oversoften pasta can't be fixed.
  • The cream needs to be added last because adding it early and then simmering can make it break slightly; if you're nervous, temper it by stirring a ladle of hot broth into the cream first.
03 -
  • Brown the beef with a little patience; let it sit before stirring so you get actual color and depth, not just cooked gray meat.
  • Fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section is worth the extra dollar or two—it tastes noticeably better and cooks more consistently than frozen.
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