This three cheese tortellini soup is an easy, quick dinner for college athletes on busy weeknights. I would consider this “semi homemade” because there doesn’t need to be any prep involved and minimal cleaning after! You basically open cans and containers and mix them in a pot! Easy peasy.
I got all my ingredients at Trader Joe’s because it’s nearby and budget-friendly, but I’ve included generic alternates if another grocery store works better for you.
Scroll to the bottom of the recipe for dietary adjustments.
Easy Recipe for Cheese Tortellini Soup
This is an easy, quick dinner perfect for athletes or college students on busy weeknights. Full of protein, carbs, and veggies and with no cutting, chopping, or advanced preparation, it could not be more perfect for a winter evening!
Equipment
- 6 quart pot
Ingredients
- Coconut oil cooking spray (this is my preference but feel free to use extra virgin olive oil)
- 1/2 onion, chopped (either cut yourself or buy pre-chopped in the fridge section)
- 1 clove fresh garlic, chopped (or use 2 tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp minced garlic)
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 1 container vegetable or chicken broth (64 ounces)
- 1 container chicken meatballs (or 12 ounces of rotisserie chicken)
- 1 container three cheese tortellini (10 ounces)
- black pepper
- salt
- 1 bag baby spinach
- parmesan and romano cheeses to garnish
Instructions
- Spray the bottom of a large pot with your cooking spray of choice. Add onions and seasoning. Sauté over medium heat, about 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the garlic, chicken meatballs, and Italian seasoning.Coconut oil cooking spray, 1/2 onion, chopped
- Add the garlic, chicken meatballs, and Italian seasoning to the pot.1 clove fresh garlic, chopped, 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1 container chicken meatballs
- In the same pan (just move the onions out of the way), add tomato paste to pan and cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until it begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.4 tbsp tomato paste, 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces), 1 container vegetable or chicken broth (64 ounces), salt, black pepper
- Add dry tortellini and water and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, or until pasta is tender. If not using TJ’s brand, cook tortellini according to package instructions.1 container three cheese tortellini (10 ounces)
- When fully cooked, remove from heat and stir in spinach. Garnish with parmesan cheese, as desired. And you've got yourself an easy meal!1 bag baby spinach, parmesan and romano cheeses to garnish
- Want fresh tortellini? Grab your pasta roller and check out this tutorial from The Kitch.
Notes
This can be prepared as a make-ahead meal and will stay fresh in the fridge for about 3 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Dietary Adjustments
- High calorie/weight gain: Swap out water for heavy cream or coconut milk for a dairy free, high calorie alternative.
- High carbohydrate: Use this soup as the first course to one of your favorite Italian recipes, or pair it with garlic naan bread.
- High protein: Double up the meatballs! Dairy free: Switch the cheese tortellini to spinach tortellini or ravioli.
Like this cheese tortellini recipe? My email list is the perfect way to get notified when I post more athlete-friendly recipes!