Chicken Spinach Tortellini Soup is one of the best quick and easy chicken soup recipes (you can make it in about 30 minutes)!
Adding cheese-filled tortellini to this hearty soup is a fun way to take classic chicken noodle soup to a whole new level! I love that it’s made with carrots and spinach because my kids eat their veggies and don’t even complain!
Although this soup is perfect on its own, we love topping it with grated cheddar or parmesan cheese and sour cream! Serve it with Parmesan Garlic Rolls!
This recipe was originally written in 2013 and was rewritten in 2022 to include new images and text. I’ve also updated the recipe to use heavy cream instead of cream of chicken soup! I’m confident you’ll love the new recipe even more than before!
Winter season is here and that means we’re all about easy soup recipes! I think I’m especially fond of serving soup in the fall and winter because my boys are always outside working on the farm and it’s nice to have a hot bowl of soup to warm up to!
It’s the ultimate comfort food!
Cheesy Potato and Chicken Chowder (instant pot), Southwest Chicken Soup, Creamy Ham and Potato Soup are all on a regular rotation around here! All of them make an easy meal that’s completely satisfying and perfect for busy weeknights!
If you’re looking for other tortellini recipes besides this easy tortellini soup recipe be sure to check out my Slow Cooker Beef and Tortellini! Hearty cheese tortellini is a fantastic addition to so many recipes including tomato soup and green salads!
Why You’ll Love This Soup Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this easy soup recipe! Mostly because it’s DELICIOUS! Here are a few other great reasons to love it!
This chicken spinach tortellini soup recipe is made with all the good stuff; fresh spinach, carrots, onions, mushrooms (if you like them), and cheese-filled tortellini.
You’ll go crazy for the perfectly seasoned (garlic and fresh herbs like thyme if you want) and a splash of heavy cream! Use any juicy chicken you like!
- One Pot: The whole soup is made in one pan, so you’ll only need to do a few dishes! #winning
- 30 Minutes: This soup can be made in no time! My favorite shortcut is to use rotisserie chicken or precooked and shredded chicken!
- Hearty and Healthy: I like to make chicken and spinach tortellini soup with carrots, celery, and onions. It’s a great way to include vegetables in your diet!
- Customizable: I like adding mushrooms, my kids are not impressed! You can easily swap veggies for something the whole family will love!
Ingredients Needed
For the most part, you’ll need simple ingredients to make a chicken spinach tortellini soup recipe. There are a few things that you might not have on hand. Let’s talk about substitutions and options.
- Chicken Broth: Any brand will work. I like Swansons and the Kirkland brand from Costco. You can also use chicken stock, but I prefer a rich broth.
- Chicken: Cooking and shredding chicken definitely adds time to make this recipe. Be sure to check out how I make shredded chicken and freeze it for later, it’s a lifesaver. You can also use canned chicken or rotisserie chicken. I always use boneless skinless chicken breasts because I like them the best. If you like dark meat you could always use chicken thighs.
- Seasonings: If you don’t have basil and oregano you can use Italian seasoning instead.
- Fresh Spinach: I love using fresh baby spinach because fresh vegetables add the best flavor! You can use drained frozen spinach if that’s what you have, but it will be a little soggy. Nobody likes soggy spinach soup! If you have leftovers in your bag of spinach you could use it to make Spinach and Artichoke Dip or Spinach Artichoke Bread!
- Cheesy Tortellini: You’ll need a bag of frozen cheese tortellini. The shelf-stable dry tortellini pasta isn’t as good! Look in the frozen section and be sure it’s filled with cheese! You could also use fresh cheese tortellini, but it will be more expensive than the frozen kind.
- Garlic: I love using garlic paste because I don’t have to mess around with peeling garlic cloves or with having my hands smell like garlic! If you’re feeling ambitious go ahead and use fresh garlic. You can also use garlic powder (1 teaspoon) instead of garlic paste. Adding fresh garlic or garlic paste makes it a super flavorful soup.
- Heavy Cream: Half and Half, or whole milk can be used instead. If you’re watching your daily values, using whole milk will be fewer calories that way, but it won’t be quite as rich and creamy though.
- Cracked Black Pepper: My family can’t handle spicy food so I use cracked black pepper. To add a little heat use red pepper flakes instead!
I LOVE my adjustable Kitchen Aid measuring spoon! You’ll only need one measuring spoon!
Instructions for making Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
Let’s talk about how to make this delicious soup! There are a few steps, but it’s easy! I’ll show you my favorite way to make it!
Step 1: Over medium heat, melt butter in a large pot (I used a large dutch oven). Add diced celery, onions, and carrots. Saute until the veggies are tender.
Step 2: Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir to coat with the flour.
Step 3: Add seasonings and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Add frozen cheese tortellini and chicken. The soup will quit boiling when frozen tortellini is added. Bring it back to a boil. Turn the temperature down to medium-high heat and gently boil for 4 more minutes.
Step 5: Keep warm on low heat. Add roughly chopped fresh spinach and heavy cream. Stir.
For a thicker soup add 2 Tablespoons of flour to a measuring cup. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of cold water. Stir until smooth. The consistency should be a thick slurry. If needed add a little bit more water. While gently stirring the soup, add the flour/water mixture to the soup during step 4. The broth will thicken as the soup cooks.
FAQs:
It will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. The color of the fresh spinach will change a little bit. It will still taste amazing! In fact, I think most soups taste better at about 3-4 days!
Freeze the cooled leftover chicken tortellini soup for 2-3 months in an airtight container. Tortellini pasta gets a little soggy after it’s been refrozen and reheated.
If I’m planning on making this soup ahead of time and then reheating the whole batch later I leave the tortellini and heavy cream out. Add them after thawing and reheating the soup the next time.
To reheat the whole batch set the pot of soup on the stove and warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
To reheat a couple of bowls, add individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until warmed through. The amount of time it takes to get hot soup will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave.
Serving Suggestions
We love eating this spinach tortellini soup recipe topped with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese! It’s also delicious sprinkled with fresh herbs. Fresh thyme and parsley are great options!
Most soup recipes are amazing and served with crusty bread or really any warm bread! Here are a few of our favorites! Be sure to serve them with whipped butter!
More of Our Best Soup Recipes
- Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes
- Jalapeno Soup
- Southwest Chicken Soup (with cream cheese)
More Spinach Recipes
Recipe
Creamy Chicken Spinach Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon tumeric Optional- see note
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracker pepper
- 2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken
- 12 ounces package frozen cheese tortellini
- 2 cup fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cups grated cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Over medium heat, melt butter in a large pot (I used a large dutch oven). Add diced celery, onions, and carrots. Saute until the veggies are tender
- Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir to coat with the flour.
- Add seasonings, shredded chicken, and chicken broth. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Add frozen cheese tortellini. The soup will quit boiling when frozen tortellini is added. Bring it back to a boil. Turn the temperature down to medium-high heat and gently boil for 2 more minutes.
- Keep warm on low heat. Add roughly chopped fresh spinach and heavy cream. Stir.
Lisa C. says
The recipe seems to still be missing the step where the water is added and the chicken. Easy enough to figure out, though.
Amy Engberson says
Oops! You will need to add the chicken, however I don’t typically add any water. The chicken stock makes a rich broth!
Katie says
Do you still have the old ingredient list and recipe that you could share? I’ve been using that recipe for years and I’m kind of a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” person.
Amy Engberson says
Oh no! I don’t have it! I really didn’t change much when I updated it. I think it mostly just cleared the instructions up a bit and made it a little easier to follow. I think you will like this one as much as the old one. Let me know if I can help!
Jerry says
The old recipe never called for flour or heavy cream, I also just noticed that the cream of chicken is no longer in the recipe. I think the old recipe was basically: sauté your veggies in butter( I add my oregano and thyme in this step to bloom the spices) and then add chicken, broth,water, and can of cream of chicken, bring to a boil for 5 minutes and then add the tortellini. Cool tortellini for how ever many minutes as it says above and then add shredded cheese and once that is incorporated, add spinach. I’m pretty sure that’s the old recipe in a nutshell.
Jerry says
Cook tortellini** not cool
Amy Engberson says
Yes! The old recipe used cream of chicken soup instead of using flour to make a roux. You’ll basically follow the recipe as written except you won’t add flour. In step three you’ll add a can of cream of chicken soup with the chicken broth. You also won’t need to add heavy cream. It is delicious both ways! I really love using heavy cream though!
katie McSweeney says
Hello, In the picture instructions it says cook in crock pot on low 4 hours and in the recipe it says 4 hours high. Which is best high or low and do you put the 2 cups water in with everything? Thanks
Nancy says
Amy: Perhaps dumb question here- why is are ‘2 cups of water’ listed in the recipe, while the narrative below the listing makes no mention if it? Is it meant to be add right away, with the broth and cream of chicken soup? Or is it listed in case someone decides to boil the tortellini, and not meant to be added into the main pot? I made this soup once earlier, to rave reviews, but don’t recall mention or use of the water…
Amy Engberson says
Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I edited the instructions to include the water! Thank goodness the soup turned out for you anyway!
katie McSweeney says
So what is the final word on the water? use it or no???
Amy Engberson says
I updated this recipe to a much simpler version that I’ve been making lately. I think you will love it! It’s a fun new twist on classic chicken noodle soup that’s packed with veggies and cheese! Let me know if you have questions!
Denise Routson says
I need to make this one too!! Yum!!!
Carolyn says
Excellent soup! My husband who doesn’t like soup and my two year old both gobbled it up and went back for seconds! I didn’t add the raisins or flour or spinach.
Do you have any experience freezing this soup? I think it would be a great one to triple and freeze.
Amy Engberson says
Thanks Carolyn! I don’t add raisins to this soup either, but I love the color and nutrients from the spinach! My husband doesn’t like soup either but since I’m the cook he has to love whatever I love, and I love this soup! Haha!
I haven’t tried freezing this soup. If you try it let me know how it goes.
Tenns @ New Mama Diaries says
Oh how I love tortellini! This recipe looks so delicious. I’m definitely pinning and going to try it out. I’d love for you to add to my link up and social media hop Gingham & Roses over on my blog http://NewMamaDiaries.com. Hope you’ll stop by!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for stopping by and for the pin! I’m headed to your blog right now!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
Thank you so much for sharing at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!! You were one of this weeks features!!!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for the party there are always fun things to look at! Thanks for featuring my Creamy Chicken and Tortellini Soup! You made my day!
Deb@ Kneaded Creations says
This soup looks delicious! Great to see you at the the Marvelous Monday Link Party. I Had to pin this! I would love it if you would drop by my site at http://www.kneadedcreations.com for a short visit! I will look forward to seeing you there! Deb @ Kneaded Creations.
Mommy on Demand says
These look great! Can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for taking the time to come over and link up! Hope to see you back tomorrow! http://mommyondemand.com/
Christine says
Mmm, I bet this warmed them up just a little teensy tiney bit-even if you can never really feel warm with -20;)
Mmm…where are you that it’s so cold?
Amy Engberson says
I could eat soup any time of the year but especially during the cold winter days! I live in Eastern Idaho!