Easy Tuscan Ravioli Soup

I grew up thinking ravioli only came from a can with a red label. My mom would heat it up on busy weeknights, and we thought it was fancy. It wasn’t until I moved to Portland that I discovered fresh ravioli could be turned into soup—and it was actually pretty easy to make.

The trick is treating the ravioli like dumplings instead of pasta. You don’t need to boil them separately or worry about perfect timing. Just drop them right into the simmering broth and let them cook through. They’ll float to the top when they’re ready, making it pretty hard to mess up.

What Kind of Ravioli Should I Use?

Any type of ravioli will work great in this soup, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand or whatever sounds good to you. Cheese-filled ravioli like ricotta or four-cheese are classic choices that pair beautifully with the tomato base, but meat-filled options like beef or sausage ravioli add extra heartiness. You can use fresh ravioli from the refrigerated section, frozen ravioli straight from the freezer, or even dried ravioli from the pasta aisle – just adjust your cooking time accordingly. Fresh ravioli will cook the fastest in just a few minutes, while frozen might need an extra minute or two, and dried ravioli will take the longest but still works perfectly in this comforting soup.

Options for Substitutions

This cozy soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps – here are some easy substitutions:

• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works great if you want to keep things vegetarian, or you can use beef broth for a richer flavor. In a pinch, bouillon cubes dissolved in water will do the trick too.
• Heavy cream: Half-and-half or whole milk can replace heavy cream, though the soup won’t be quite as rich. For a dairy-free option, try coconut milk or cashew cream.
• Ravioli: Any stuffed pasta works here – try tortellini, cappelletti, or even regular pasta like penne or rigatoni. Just adjust cooking time based on package directions.
• Fresh thyme: Dried thyme works fine (use about 1 teaspoon), or you can swap in fresh oregano or Italian seasoning for similar flavor.
• Brown sugar: White sugar, honey, or maple syrup can replace brown sugar. Start with less since honey and maple syrup are sweeter – about 1 tablespoon should do it.
• Whole peeled tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes work just as well. If using diced, you might want to blend half the soup for a smoother texture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this soup is adding the ravioli too early, which will cause them to become mushy and fall apart – always add the ravioli during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time according to package directions.

Another common error is adding the heavy cream while the soup is at a rolling boil, which can cause it to curdle and separate, so make sure to reduce the heat to low before stirring in the cream.

Don’t forget to break up those whole peeled tomatoes with a spoon or your hands before adding them to the pot, as large chunks won’t distribute the flavor evenly throughout the soup.

Finally, taste and adjust your seasoning at the end since the chicken broth and ravioli filling both contain salt – you might need less than you think.

What to Serve With Tuscan Ravioli Soup?

This hearty soup is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some warm, crusty bread for dipping – focaccia or a good sourdough work perfectly. A simple Caesar salad on the side makes for a nice contrast to the rich, creamy broth, and the crisp romaine helps balance out all those comforting flavors. If you want to keep things really simple, just some garlic bread or breadsticks will do the trick for soaking up every bit of that delicious tomato base. For a lighter option, try a mixed green salad with a lemony vinaigrette to cut through the creaminess of the soup.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This hearty soup keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The ravioli will absorb some of the broth as it sits, which actually makes it even more flavorful. I like to make a big batch on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week with some crusty bread.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months, but keep in mind that the ravioli texture might change a bit after thawing. I usually freeze it in individual portions using freezer-safe containers, which makes it super convenient for quick lunches.

Warm Up: Heat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You might need to add a splash of extra broth or water since the pasta tends to soak up liquid. The microwave works too – just use 50% power and stir every minute or so.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1200
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 36-44 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-170 g

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth (such as kettle & fire)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 sprig thyme, fresh
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving:

• 10 oz ravioli
• Fresh basil, for garnish

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.

Add the diced onion, chopped celery (with leaves), and minced garlic.

Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.

Step 2: Simmer Tomatoes with Aromatics

• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth (such as Kettle & Fire)
• 1 sprig thyme, fresh

Stir in the whole peeled tomatoes and light brown sugar with the sautéed vegetables.

Pour in the chicken bone broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat to low, add the fresh thyme, and let the soup simmer partially covered for 15–20 minutes so the flavors meld together.

Step 3: Blend the Soup Smooth

Remove the sprig of thyme, then use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender, then return it to the pot.

Step 4: Finish the Soup with Cream and Seasoning

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat.

Stir in the heavy cream until fully combined, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

I like to add a good amount of freshly ground black pepper at this stage to really enhance the flavors.

Step 5: Cook Ravioli in Soup

• 10 oz ravioli

Bring the creamy tomato soup back to a gentle simmer.

Add the ravioli directly to the soup and cook until the ravioli float to the top; this should take just a few minutes.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

• fresh basil, for garnish

Ladle the hot soup and ravioli into bowls.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves, an extra drizzle of cream if you’d like, and a final sprinkle of black pepper before serving.

Easy Tuscan Ravioli Soup

Delicious Easy Tuscan Ravioli Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1125 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the soup:

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth (such as Kettle & Fire)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 sprig thyme, fresh
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving:

• 10 oz ravioli
• fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

 

• In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped celery (with leaves), and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
• Stir in the whole peeled tomatoes and light brown sugar with the sautéed vegetables. Pour in the chicken bone broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the fresh thyme, and let the soup simmer partially covered for 15–20 minutes so the flavors meld together.
• Remove the sprig of thyme, then use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender, then return it to the pot.
• Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream until fully combined, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. I like to add a good amount of freshly ground black pepper at this stage to really enhance the flavors.
• Bring the creamy tomato soup back to a gentle simmer. Add the ravioli directly to the soup and cook until the ravioli float to the top; this should take just a few minutes.
• Ladle the hot soup and ravioli into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, an extra drizzle of cream if you’d like, and a final sprinkle of black pepper before serving.