Making this 3-ingredient soup only takes 10 minutes and everyone loves it

Keep this simple trio of ingredients on hand for a virtually effortless recipe.

At the end of a long day, it can seem overwhelming to inventory the refrigerator, crack open a cookbook, or run to the grocery store to come up with a dinner plan. It’s all too tempting to just peruse a pile of takeout menus or food delivery apps instead.

But cooking at home can actually be so much faster and easier (not to mention cheaper and often healthier) than ordering in. The key is to have at least one recipe in your culinary back pocket, that’s it dead simpleit can be made on autopilot with just a few simple ingredients that come together with minimal effort, cooking time, or dirty dishes to deal with afterwards.

Why this recipe is my favorite

For me, that almost effortless dish is a version of tortellini en brodo—a stuffed pasta “in broth” traditionally served at Christmas in northern Italy. Made with just three ingredients – tortellini, stock, and (at least in my version) spinach or other vegetables – this warming dish is ready in minutes. It only takes one pot and requires no prep, meaning you don’t even have to dirty a cutting board or knife.

Why this recipe is almost effortless

I always have the simple trio of ingredients needed to make it on hand in my freezer. Then, on the nights when I think I’m too tired to muster the energy to cook, I remember that I have everything I need to put together this nutritious, healthy dish in about 10 minutes. Because you simply heat up three ingredients and there’s no chopping, measuring or timer required, it doesn’t feel like the effort of cooking at home… even though it tastes like it.

Enjoy it for lunch or dinner

This no-recipe dish is the perfect lunch or dinner as is, but I also love that it’s endlessly adaptable. Use whatever kind of stock, tortellini and vegetables you happen to have on hand. When it’s ready, drizzle with some olive oil or truffle oil, sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and add some leaves of fresh parsley, basil or dill. It’s also a great way to use up the stuff in your fridge, like leftover veggies that heat up quickly in the broth.

The best part is that dinner is on the table in a fraction of the time it takes to get something delivered – and at a fraction of the cost.

How to make this recipe

The ingredients

Besides the pantry salt and pepper, this dish only requires three inexpensive, easy-to-find ingredients.

Tortellini: Use fresh or frozen tortellini. I use cheese filled pasta because I think it tastes best with the broth and vegetables, but meat, vegetable or other varieties will also be delicious. Of course, using frozen pasta means it will take a little longer to cook, but the time difference is virtually negligible. Plus, I like the convenience of frozen because I can always have it on hand without having to worry about it spoiling like fresh varieties.
Broth: I prefer the comforting taste of chicken stock, but you can use vegetable or beef stock. Because this three-ingredient dish is so simple, it is ideal to use homemade broth or high quality stock, but I often use boxed stock or condensed stock paste or cubes instead. Whatever you have in your freezer, refrigerator or pantry will taste delicious.
Greens: Delicate vegetables such as mild spinach or peppery arugula work best because they wilt quickly in the hot broth. Opting for bite-sized vegetables like small spinach or arugula leaves (like those that come in clear plastic containers at the grocery store) means you don’t even have to dirty a cutting board or chef’s knife chopping them to size. Fresh vegetables are tasty, but I always have a bag of chopped meat spinach in my freezer because it is so cheap and versatile. Whichever option you choose, the vegetables add pops of color and vitamins to the dish, making it feel more like a healthy, complete meal.

The clues

Choose a pot: Choose a jar that is suitable for the quantity you want to make. You can use just enough stock to cook the pasta, or enough so that it feels like a stock soup, whichever you prefer. But either way, you want to make sure that the size of your pan allows the pasta to swim freely in the broth while cooking. Cooking for a group? Go for a Dutch oven or stock pot. Making just one portion? Go with a small saucepan. You need at least an inch or two of stock in the pan so that the pasta can move freely and cook evenly as they simmer.
Heat the broth: Bring the stock to the boil.
Cook the tortellini: Add the tortellini to the boiling liquid and stir for a minute to keep the pasta separated prevent it from sticking. When the tortellini float to the top and look puffy and pillowy, they are fully cooked. (If you’re not confident you can tell by sight when the pasta is ready, just cook it according to the time stated on the package.)
Add the vegetables: Once the tortellini are ready, add the greens to the pan and stir. As soon as the stock boils again, turn off the heat. This may take just a few seconds if you are using fresh vegetables, or about a minute if you are using frozen vegetables.
Add salt and pepper: Season.

Creative add-ins

Another great thing about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Not only is it delicious with whatever types of broth, tortellini, and veggies you like, but there are so many ways to zhuzh combine it with other common refrigerator or pantry staples.

Add more cheese, such as Parmesan, pecorino-Romano, or another hard cheese that is good for grating.
Fresh or dried herbs: basil, parsley, oregano or dill
Red pepper flakes
Additional vegetables, such as frozen peas or diced zucchini (add them to the stock along with the vegetables)
Lemon zest, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Truffle oil or truffle salt