Easy Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup

Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup is an easy and delicious soup recipe that you can quickly make and have on the table in 30 minutes or less. It’s a hearty soup that makes a complete meal that your whole family will love.

Soups are one of the least complicated yet most comforting foods a person can make. This yummy soup is fast to put together and is delicious eaten right away, but it can also be made earlier in the day and simmered on low or kept hot in a slow cooker.

This soup is a hearty, complete meal, packed full of cheesy tortellini, flavorful meatballs, and superfood kale (this leafy green vegetable is pretty amazing! You can read more about all the nutrition of kale here ). This soup is filling, but it’s still lovely to round out the meal with slices of wholesome bread. This Honey Flax Wheat Bread is perfect for serving alongside Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup.

This recipe makes a generous batch, so our family always has enough for supper and lunch the next day. The tortellini in the soup does tend to continue to soak up the broth, so when I reheat it the next day, I usually add either extra broth or some whole milk to thin it out a bit.

Another reason to love this soup is that it’s easy to keep all the items on hand, either in my pantry or freezer. That way, I can always whip up a batch at a moment’s notice.

This recipe calls for dried tortellini, but I have also made it with fresh and frozen varieties, and it turns out nicely (simply adjust the cooking time according to the package directions). Also, I like to buy big bags of ready-to-eat chopped kale, then pop them in my deep freeze. Fresh kale freezes beautifully and freezing it ensures I always have some kale on hand. Pre-cooked meatballs are an excellent, versatile item to keep in the freezer: you can make your own with this delicious recipe or use store-bought.

Tips for making Creamy Tortellini, Kale and Meatball Soup

• The quality of your chicken bouillon/soup base will affect the final deliciousness of your soup. I love to use the Better than Bouillon brand. You can pick it up at almost any grocery store or online. It is a little more expensive than some other brands, but the quality of the flavor is well worth it.
• Use an Italian Spice Blend that is just spices, without salt added. If you only have one that includes salt, you may want to decrease the amount of bouillon you use so that the soup doesn’t become too salty.
• This soup is delicious reheated, but you may need to add some more liquid. I like to add whole milk, but you can also add broth or even plain water (if you are adding water, just taste test the soup again before serving to make sure it has enough flavor, and adjust the spices as necessary).

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Tools you may need:

Dutch oven

Measuring cups and spoons (my absolute favorite measuring spoons are these magnetic ones by OXO).

What You’ll Need to Make Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup

10 cups water

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon

2  tablespoons dehydrated onions

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian spice blend

1 lb frozen pre-cooked meatballs (about 3 cups)

8 oz package dried cheese tortellini

4 cups chopped kale

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the water, bouillon, onions, garlic, and Italian spice blend, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Add the meatballs and return the soup to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini, return soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the tortellini is cooked, according to package directions (see note).
3. When the tortellini is soft, stir in the chopped kale, and simmer just until the kale is wilted about one minute. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
4. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if desired.
5. Enjoy!

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5 from 2 votes

Print

Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup

Creamy Tortellini, Kale, and Meatball Soup is an easy and delicious soup recipe that you can quickly prepare and have on the table in 30 minutes or less. It’s a hearty soup that makes a complete meal that your whole family will enjoy!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Kale, Meatballs, Soup, Tortellini

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 255 kcal

Author Cara

Ingredients

• 10 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• 2 tablespoons dehydrated onions
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian spice blend
• 1 lb frozen pre-cooked meatballs about 3 cups
• 8 oz package dried cheese tortellini
• 4 cups chopped kale
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the water, bouillon, onions, garlic, and Italian spice blend, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

   

2. Add the meatballs and return the soup to a rolling boil.

3. Next, add the tortellini, return the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the tortellini is cooked, according to package directions (see note).

   

4. When the tortellini is cooked, stir in the chopped kale, and simmer just until the kale is wilted, about one minute. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if desired.

   

Recipe Notes

1. This soup is delicious served with a slice of hearty bread.

2. This recipe calls for dried tortellini, but you can substitute fresh or frozen tortellini with equally yummy results. Follow the package directions for whatever type of tortellini that you choose. 

If you try this recipe and love it, please share it with a friend!

Enjoy!