Can I substitute ravioli for tortellini in soup?

Because ravioli and tortellini are both filled pasta of a similar consistency, they can be used interchangeably in most dishes including soup. Tortellini tends to be smaller so is a better option if you want the pasta in your soup to be bite-sized.

Should pasta be cooked before adding it to the soup?

This depends on the type of pasta you are using and the consistency and amount of liquid in your pan. Fresh pasta or filled pastas like ravioli and tortellini that only require a few minutes of cooking time can be cooked in the soup as long as it is not too thick. If your soup is of a thicker consistency or you don't have a lot of liquid it's best to cook the pasta in another pan to avoid it sticking to the bottom.

Can you freeze homemade tortellini soup?

Soups that do not contain dairy products like milk and cream can be frozen before the tortellini is added. Freezing can cause creamy sauces to separate and starchy sauces made with flour can also be much thinner when defrosted.

What if the soup isn't the right consistency?

Add more stock or water to thin out a thick soup. Stir in extra cream, cheese or add more roux to thicken a soup that is too thin.

Easy Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup (with mushrooms & spinach)

Description

A warming, hearty bowl of creamy Alfredo soup, with tender shredded chicken, umami mushrooms, nourishing spinach and your favourite variety of store-bought tortellini.

Serves 4. Use the scaling buttons below to double or triple the quantity.

Ingredients

Scale

60g (or 5 tbsp) butter
200g (or 3.5 cups) mushrooms - thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves - crushed
16g (or 2 tbsp) flour
200ml (or 2/3 cup) single cream
800ml (or 3.5 cup) chicken stock + more if needed
40g (or 1.2 cup) Parmesan - grated
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper + extra for serving
250g (or 9oz) tortellini
160g (or 6oz) spinach
250g (or 1 x cup) cooked chicken - shredded (approx 2 legs)

Instructions

Place a pan on a high heat and add one-fifth of the butter. Add the mushrooms when the butter starts to sizzle and cook for a few minutes until they begin to brown and set aside.
Reduce the pan to a low/medium heat and add the rest of the butter. Add the crushed garlic when the butter begins to sizzle and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Stir in the flour to form a thick paste and pour in the chicken stock gradually, stirring continuously to get rid of any lumps.
Stir in the Cream, Parmesan, nutmeg and pepper.
Increase the heat until the soup starts to simmer and add the tortellini and spinach. (Note 1 & 2)
Stir in the cooked chicken and mushrooms and serve immediately.

Notes

You should have enough liquid to cook the tortellini. However, if you are using a wide pan you might not and it's best to cook the tortellini separately, so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
Add a little extra stock to the soup if you find there isn't enough liquid after you have cooked the tortellini and spinach.

Category: Pasta
Method: stove-top
Cuisine: Western

Keywords: Easy chicken Alfredo tortellini soup (with mushrooms & spinach)