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Tortellini en brodo for one, the classic Italian soup of cheese tortellini in a light, golden broth. This single serving version is ready in about 25 minutes.
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Equipment: 2-quart saucepan
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Servings: 1 serving
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Light and savory, with a delicate Parmesan-rich broth and soft, cheese-filled pasta.
Tortellini en brodo means “tortellini in broth,” a dish from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy traditionally served at Christmas.
Why You’ll Love This Tortellini en Brodo Recipe
The traditional version of tortellini en brodo is a project, with homemade broth simmered for hours and tortellini folded by hand. I skip both of those steps, so a single bowl of this tortellini in broth is ready in about 25 minutes. The broth still tastes like it simmered far longer.
The shortcut is using store-bought broth and giving it a quick boost of flavor. I sauté a little onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, then let them simmer in the broth for about 20 minutes. That’s long enough for the vegetables to release their flavor and deepen the broth, and simmering past that point doesn’t add much more. Strain the vegetables out for a clear, classic tortellini in brodo, or leave them in, diced small, for a more rustic bowl. Either way, the cheese tortellini cook right in the broth until tender.
Looking for more Italian soups made for one? Try my single serving minestrone, Italian wedding soup for one, or zuppa Toscana.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what goes into this single serving tortellini en brodo, plus why each one matters. If you have any ingredients left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Butter: A little butter is what you sauté the vegetables in, and it adds a touch of richness to the broth.
Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic: These aromatics are the shortcut to a deeper broth. Sautéed in the butter and simmered in store-bought broth, they add the savory depth and light sweetness a long-simmered stock would.
Chicken broth: Store-bought chicken broth is the base. A short simmer with the vegetables freshens and deepens it. Vegetable broth works too, though I prefer chicken for its richer flavor. Broths vary in saltiness, so taste before serving and add salt if needed, or stir in a splash of water if it tastes too salty. Leftover broth is good in risotto for one or split pea soup.
Bay leaf (optional): A whole dried bay leaf simmers in the broth and gives it a deeper, homemade flavor, part of what makes this quick soup taste slow-cooked. Drop it in whole and take it out before serving.
Parmesan rind (optional): Simmering a Parmesan rind in the broth releases a salty, nutty flavor that makes it taste like it cooked for hours. Use a piece about 1 inch long (roughly ½ ounce). You can buy rinds at the cheese counter or save them from wedges you’ve used. Remove and discard it before serving.
Cheese tortellini: Refrigerated cheese tortellini cook in just a few minutes and are what I reach for. Frozen tortellini work too and can go straight from the freezer. Dried tortellini take longer and are best cooked separately, then added to the broth. Use about 3 to 3½ ounces for a lighter bowl or 4 to 4½ ounces for a main. For a heartier soup, try my tortellini soup for one or chicken tortellini soup.
How To Get Deep Flavor From Store-Bought Broth
Store-bought broth is already simmered and seasoned, so the goal here isn’t to build a stock from scratch. It’s to deepen and freshen the flavor that’s already there.
The aromatic compounds in the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery release quickly, and most of that flavor moves into the broth within the first 15 to 20 minutes of simmering. That’s why a short simmer is all you need, and why simmering much longer doesn’t add much more.
You can serve the soup two ways. For a clear, classic tortellini in brodo, strain out the vegetables before adding the tortellini, leaving a light, delicate broth. For a heartier, rustic bowl, leave the vegetables in, just dice them small before cooking so they soften fully and blend into the broth.
Tip: If you leave the vegetables in, remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind before adding the tortellini.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few simple ways to change up this small batch tortellini en brodo, whether you want more greens, a brighter flavor, or a heartier bowl.
Vegetarian Tortellini en Brodo
Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. The cheese tortellini keep it filling, so it’s a complete meatless bowl.
Add Spinach or Escarole
Stir in a handful of fresh spinach or chopped escarole at the end and let it wilt in the hot broth. Escarole is the traditional green for this soup, with a mild, slightly bitter bite.
Add Lemon
Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into the broth just before serving to brighten the flavor.
Make It Heartier
Use meat-filled tortellini in place of cheese, or stir in a little shredded cooked chicken for a more filling bowl.
How To Make Tortellini en Brodo For One
These step-by-step photos show how to make this tortellini in brodo recipe. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient amounts.
- Sauté the vegetables. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
- Simmer the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to build flavor.
- Strain the broth. For a clear, classic soup, remove and discard the vegetables, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. For a rustic bowl, leave the vegetables in and remove just the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
- Cook the tortellini. Return the broth to a gentle boil. Add the tortellini and cook until they float to the surface and are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Season and serve. Taste the broth and add salt if needed. Ladle into a bowl and top with grated Parmesan.
Expert Tips
Use a Parmesan rind. Simmer a 1-inch piece of Parmesan rind in the broth for salty, nutty depth that makes it taste like it cooked for hours. Remove it before serving.
Chop the vegetables small. Smaller pieces release their flavor into the broth faster, and if you leave them in for a rustic bowl, they blend in better.
Keep it at a gentle simmer. Once the broth bubbles, lower the heat. A gentle simmer keeps the broth clear and prevents the vegetables from breaking down.
Don’t overcook the tortellini. Cook just until they float to the surface and are tender. Left too long, they turn soft and lose their shape.
Serve it right away. The tortellini keep absorbing broth as they sit, so the soup is best enjoyed soon after cooking.
Troubleshooting
If your tortellini en brodo isn’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues.
Why is my broth cloudy?
Cloudy broth usually comes from boiling it too hard. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, which keeps it clear and stops the vegetables from breaking down. Straining out the vegetables before adding the tortellini also helps.
Why does my broth taste bland?
Bland broth needs more depth or salt. Simmer a Parmesan rind with the vegetables for a richer, saltier flavor, give the aromatics the full 15 to 20 minutes to release into the broth, and taste for salt at the end since store-bought broths vary.
Why is my tortellini en brodo too thick?
The tortellini soak up broth as they sit, so the soup thickens over time. Serve it soon after cooking, and stir in a splash of warm broth to loosen it if it thickens. If you’re making it ahead, cook the tortellini separately and add them to the bowl just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
“En brodo” means “in broth” in Italian. It describes pasta, usually tortellini, served in a light, flavorful broth rather than with a sauce. The dish is also written “in brodo” and “al brodo.”
Tortellini en brodo is a classic Italian soup of cheese or meat-filled tortellini served in a light broth. It comes from the Emilia-Romagna region and is traditionally served as a first course at Christmas. The dish is also written “tortellini in brodo.”
Use about 3 to 3½ ounces (85 to 100 grams) of tortellini per person for a light meal or starter, and 4 to 4½ ounces (115 to 130 grams) for a main dish. To serve two, double the amount and use a larger pot.
Yes. Frozen tortellini can go straight into the simmering broth. Dried tortellini take longer and are best cooked separately in salted water, then added to the broth just before serving.
Yes. Make the broth ahead and refrigerate it up to 3 days. Cook and add the tortellini just before serving so they stay tender and don’t soak up the broth.
Tortellini en brodo pairs well with crusty bread and a simple salad. Try it with a small loaf of French bread or a Caesar salad for one.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you make this single serve tortellini en brodo recipe, please leave a rating and a comment below to let me know how it turned out. Take a look at my other single serving soups for more ideas.
Tortellini en Brodo For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup chopped onions
- 1 medium carrot – chopped
- 1 stalk celery – chopped
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 4 ounces cheese tortellini
- salt to taste
- grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- For a clear soup, remove and discard the vegetables, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. For a rustic soup, leave the vegetables in and remove only the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
- Return the broth to a gentle boil. Add the tortellini and cook until they float to the surface and are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Taste the broth and add salt if needed. Ladle into a bowl and top with freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
what do you do with the rind after making the soup? throw it out?
Yes, you can discard the rind after the soup is finished.
It adds wonderful flavor while it simmers, but it doesn’t fully melt. I usually remove it before serving and throw it away.
This was delicious. I added thyme because I had it. I liked it with the veggies. They were crunchy and the whole thing was so satisfying.
I will make it again soon.
HI JOANIE — HOPEFULLY THIS ISN’T A ‘STUPID QUESTION’, BUT — WHAT SIZE “PARMESAN RIND” SHOULD BE USED? NO ONE EVER SAYS — SHOULD IT BE APX 1″ SQ?, APX 6″ SQ? DOES IT EVEN MATTER? SINCE I NEVER KNOW I JUST USE GRATED OR SHREDDED PARMESAN — TO TASTE…IT’S MUCH EASIER TO CONTROL…ALSO, I MAKE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS RECIPE BUT USE RAVIOLI INSTEAD OF TORTELLINI…THX
PS — THIS SHOULD BE FOR WHEN MAKING ONE(1) SERVING AS I ONLY EVER COOK FOR ONE(1) PERSON — ME..AGAIN, THANK YOU
That’s definitely not a stupid question at all — it’s a great one, and you’re not the only person who’s asked! I’ve actually updated the recipe to include this information. For one serving, I recommend using about a 1-inch piece of Parmesan rind (roughly ½ ounce). You can save rinds from wedges of Parmesan or buy them from the cheese counter, then cut them into smaller pieces and freeze them to use as needed. And your version with ravioli sounds wonderful!
How big of a parmesan rind do you use? I bought a rind once and I know had I used it it would have been way too much. Can you give me an idea of how much, say ounces. Plus can you buy , chop into smaller chunks? I would have liked more information in your blog about parmesan rinds. The one I had bought was some time ago and I don’t remember what I used it for.
Thanks Joanie
Thank you for asking such a thoughtful question! I’ve updated the ingredient notes section to include more details about Parmesan rinds — I usually use about a 1-inch piece (roughly ½ ounce) for this recipe. You can definitely cut a larger rind into smaller pieces before freezing them for future use. They really do add such wonderful flavor to soups like this!
Good recipe.
Thank you!