Soup with cappelletti is a light Italian soup of chicken stock, fresh tomato and small stuffed pasta, ready in about 25 minutes. It feeds 4, and one pot is all you need for a quick lunch or a simple first course.
Why This Recipe Works
The stock does all the flavor work here, so use one you like drinking on its own. A weak stock gives a flat soup, and a good one makes three ingredients taste like a full bowl.
The tomato goes in first and simmers for a few minutes before the pasta. That softens the pieces and lets the juice mix into the broth, so the soup tastes lightly sweet and a little bright. Peeling and seeding it keeps the broth clear and free of tough skin.
The pasta cooks right in the stock instead of in separate water. The filling stays inside and the pasta soaks up the savory broth. The parmesan goes on at the end, so it stays sharp and salty on top.
Soup with Cappelletti Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
- 5 ounces dried cappelletti or raviolini
- 1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 teaspoons coarsely chopped celery or a few flat-leaf parsley leaves
How To Make Soup with Cappelletti
Cook the soup
- Simmer the tomato: Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes, so it softens and flavors the broth.
- Cook the pasta: Add the cappelletti and cook for 7 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Check the package time, since dried brands differ. If you use 9 ounces of fresh cappelletti or raviolini instead, cook them for just 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve
- Top and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls while it is hot. Sprinkle each bowl with the grated Parmesan and the celery or parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Use a good stock: With so few ingredients, the stock is the soup. Homemade or a low-sodium store brand works best, and you can salt it at the end.
- Seed the tomato: Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. That keeps the broth clear and the tomato pieces neat.
- Using fresh pasta: Swap in 9 ounces of fresh cappelletti or raviolini and cook it for just 5 to 7 minutes. Fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried.
- Serve right away: Stuffed pasta keeps soaking up broth as it sits. Bring the bowls to the table as soon as they are filled.
What To Serve With Soup with Cappelletti
Serve this soup as a light first course or a quick lunch. Crusty bread for the broth and a simple green salad make it a fuller meal.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. The pasta will soften and soak up some of the broth.
- Reheat: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop until hot all the way through. Add a splash of stock if it has thickened.
- Freezer: This soup does not freeze well, since the stuffed pasta turns soft and breaks apart. Freeze the plain stock instead and cook the pasta fresh.
FAQs
What is cappelletti?
Cappelletti are small stuffed pasta shaped like little hats. Raviolini are a close match and work the same way in this soup.
Can I make this soup vegetarian?
Yes, if you swap the chicken stock for a good vegetable stock. Check the cappelletti filling and the Parmesan too, since some fillings contain meat and Parmesan is made with animal rennet.
Can I make it ahead?
You can make the broth with the tomato ahead and keep it in the fridge for 3 days. Bring it back to a boil and cook the pasta just before you serve, so it stays firm.
Why is my soup bland?
A weak or unsalted stock is almost always the reason. Taste the stock before you start, season it as needed, and finish each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan for extra salt and depth.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 210 kcal
- Total Fat: 7g
- Total Carbohydrate: 24g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 13g
Soup with Cappelletti
4
servings10
minutes15
minutes25
minutesA simple broth soup of chicken stock, tomato and small stuffed pasta, topped with Parmesan and fresh herbs. Quick enough for a weeknight and serves 4.
Ingredients
5 cups chicken stock
1 ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
5 ounces dried cappelletti or raviolini
1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons coarsely chopped celery or a few flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
- Simmer the tomato: Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. Add the chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes, so it softens and flavors the broth.
- Cook the pasta: Add the cappelletti and cook for 7 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Check the package time, since dried brands differ. If you use 9 ounces of fresh cappelletti or raviolini instead, cook them for just 5 to 7 minutes.
- Top and serve: Ladle the soup into bowls while it is hot. Sprinkle each bowl with the grated Parmesan and the celery or parsley.
