No immersion blender? Carefully transfer soup to a blender (you may need to do this in batches) and blend until smooth. Always remove the blender cap when blending hot foods to let steam escape and avoid a soup explosion - take the cap off and use a tea towel to cover the opening and prevent spills while the blender gets going. Always use caution when blending hot liquids.

Exact cook time will vary based on your brand of tortellini. In our testing, frozen tortellini tends to cook the quickest, while fresh (refrigerated, non-frozen) and shelf-stable varieties take an extra few minutes. If you'd like more control over the pasta as it cooks, you can cook it separately according to package directions and add it to the soup once it's cooked. Keep in mind that the tortellini will continue to cook in the hot soup, so you may want to turn the heat off the soup a few minutes before they're done. When in doubt, taste-test to gauge doneness!

Additions and Mix-Ins. Add chopped spinach or kale, shredded chicken, Italian sausage, butter beans, or roasted red peppers to this soup to make it a bit heartier and stretch it further.

Substitutions. Use gnocchi, ravioli, or your favorite dry pasta in place of the tortellini if you like (you may need to adjust the cook time - just keep an eye on it!) This soup is also great on its own or with zucchini noodles in place of the pasta. Use 3 Tablespoons dried basil in place of the fresh basil if you like. We used crushed tomatoes here, but you can use tomato sauce, whole or diced tomatoes. If you'd like to make this soup with fresh tomatoes, we recommend trying our vegan roasted tomato soup (make it as directed, then add pasta and basil!)

Adjust the cream and stock in this recipe. Sub chicken or turkey stock, half and half, or milk for all or some of the liquid here if you prefer. If you're in a bind, you can use plain water in place of stock, but we recommend letting the soup simmer at least an extra 15 minutes to develop flavor. Use a cup of Greek yogurt in place of the cream if you like - just add it before you blend so it doesn't separate! The brand and type of tomatoes you use may impact the consistency of your soup - if it's too thick, add an extra splash of stock or cream to thin it out. Too thin? Simmer it for 10-20 minutes or stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken.

To freeze, leave out the the pasta. Make the soup as directed without tortellini, let cool completely, and freeze in airtight containers for 3-4 months. To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight then bring to a simmer in a large saucepan. Add and cook pasta as directed and serve.

Soup tasting flat? It probably needs salt! Salt is especially important in tomato-based dishes to help the tomato flavor pop. Add a pinch of kosher salt at a time, stir, taste, and add more salt as necessary. A teaspoon of lemon juice, sugar, or brown sugar can also help elevate the flavor of a tomato soup if your canned tomatoes aren't as flavorful as you'd like.

The exact color of your soup will vary depending on the tomatoes you use - don't worry if it's a little bit lighter or darker than the pictures above! We ended soup with a bunch of different shades of soup during our testing.

Strict vegetarians should look for tortellini made with cheese that does not contain rennet.

Serve with a loaf of crusty bread or a quick lemon arugula salad.