The Italian region of Emilia Romagna is known for lots of insanely delicious Italian dishes such as lasagna bolognese, fried gnocchi, and an abundance of all things mortadella. But one of the most often under-celebrated but commonly made dishes is tortellini in broth, or “tortellini in brodo”. It’s the epitome of simple cooking, packed with flavor when made correctly, and heartwarmingly satisfying. It’s the kind of dish you’d expect an Italian grandmother to make you on a chilly day. Let’s dig in.

Ingredients

Classic Italian cuisine is all about combining some of the most simple and humble ingredients to create a dish that’s both delicious and so much more than the sum of its parts. Tortellini in brodo is no exception. By building our own chicken stock from scratch using a chicken carcass, carrots and celery, a few alliums for maximum flavor development, and fresh herbs to keep things interesting, this is a comforting Italian favorite that requires almost zero work as it merrily simmers away on the stove for a few hours.

How to Make Tortellini in Brodo

  1. Start the foundation of your stock with a chicken carcass. Anything leftover from a rotisserie chicken is perfect, doesn’t even have to include any meat.
  2. Roughly chop whole carrots, celery stalks, and an onion (with the skin on to give your stock a beautiful yellow hue and create less knife work) and add it all to the stock pot.
  3. Add in those flavor-enhancing components (garlic, black peppercorns, and fresh herbs) to continue building a full-bodied stock.
  4. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and walk away for 2-3 hours while your beautiful creation simmers and your house smells like heaven.
  5. Strain out all the solids, adjust for salt, and add the fresh tortellini for a quick 1-2 minute cook. Congratulations on a virtually zero-prep, hands-off yet overwhelmingly satisfying and cozy weeknight meal.

What to Serve with Tortellini in Brodo

Tortellini in brodo makes for a delightfully light dinner. To bulk it up a bit, serve it with our perfect focaccia, which gets points for being both filling and the perfect vessel for soaking up all that lovely chicken stock. Toss a simple kale salad together, and you’re pretty much ready for company.

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Tortellini in Broth

5 from 2 votes
Brooke Eliason
Print
Servings: 4 servings
Total Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients 

  • 1 chicken carcass, (anything leftover from a rotisserie chicken is perfect)
  • 2 large carrots, cut into halves
  • 2 large celery ribs, cut into halves
  • 1 small onion, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • several fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme
  • 12 cups cold water
  • 1.5 – 2 lbs. fresh tortellini

Instructions

  • Place the chicken carcass, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary, and thyme in a large pot or dutch oven and cover with the cold water. Bring to a soft boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours.
  • Using a fine mesh sieve, strain out all the solids from the broth. Add the strained broth back to the pot. Taste and add salt if needed. Add the tortellini to the broth and cook for 1-2 minutes (do not overcook!). Serve immediately.

Notes

  • This recipe is best when prepared with homemade broth, but you can absolutely substitute with store-bought in a pinch. 
  • We highly recommend using fresh tortellini in this recipe, which you can find in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores including Trader Joe’s and Costco.
  • If you won’t be serving the tortellini immediately, you can re-heat the broth when ready and add the tortellini just before serving. Or, if serving within the hour, you can add the tortellini to hot broth and remove from heat (no need to cook for 1-2 minutes).

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