Tortellini in brodo, or tortellini in broth, is a classic Italian dish that holds a special place in many hearts, especially during the colder months or festive occasions.
Traditionally, tortellini in brodo is all about meat-filled pasta in a rich, hearty broth.
But guess what? Making a vegan version from scratch is totally doable—and so satisfying!
In this recipe, we’re showing you how to whip up a cozy bowl of vegan tortellini in brodo from start to finish. It’s a bit of a project, but trust us, it’s worth every step.
My mum always gets them for Christmas dinner and it was about time I veganized them!
To make vegan tortellini in brodo, there are 3 main components to perfect: the pasta dough and the filling, as well as the broth.
Each requires a bit of patience, but the end result is more than worth the effort. Let’s break it down step by step.
Vegan Tortellini In Brodo – What You Need (Full Recipe Below)
- Durum wheat semolina to make the dough, together with some turmeric for colour, salt, water and some olive oil.
- The filling is made of a base of soy chunks and oyster mushrooms, that create the perfect texture. They’re cooked with a soffritto and seasoned with soy sauce, tomato paste and herbs.
- The broth is made with vegetables, dried mushrooms soy sauce and spices.
Vegan Tortellini In Brodo – Step By Step Instructions
Make the broth Broth
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and ginger (cut side down) and let them brown on both sides for extra depth of flavor.
- Pour in 3 liters of water, 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, and add dried mushrooms. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for at least 1 hour, allowing the flavors to develop. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids. Set aside—this will be used to cook the tortellini.
Filling
- Place soy chunks in a pot and cover with three times their volume of water. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze out any excess water.
- Transfer the soy chunks to a blender or food processor along with oyster mushrooms. Blend until the mixture forms a finely chopped paste with some texture.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the blended soy-mushroom mixture and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of tomato passata, cooking until the mixture absorbs the liquid.
- Season with paprika, onion powder, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat, cool the filling, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine durum wheat semolina, a pinch of salt, a pinch of turmeric (optional, for color), 2 tablespoon of olive oil, and enough water to form a dough. It’s best to start with less water and add gradually as needed.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. If it feels too dry at first, keep kneading—the dough will come together. Avoid making it too soft.
- Cover the dough with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Shaping the Tortellini
- Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, keeping unused portions covered to prevent drying out. Roll out one piece into a thin rectangular sheet, approximately 1 mm thick.
- Use a pizza wheel to cut the sheet into squares, 3 cm (1.18 inches) or 4 cm (1.5 inches) in size. Place a small ball of filling (about 1/4 teaspoon) in the center of each square.
- Fold the square into a triangle, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Push the filling upward slightly, then join the two corners of the triangle together, pressing firmly to create the tortellini shape.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Place finished tortellini on a floured surface, dusting them lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
Cooking and Serving
- Heat the prepared broth and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the tortellini in small batches in the broth for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. The cooking time will depend on their size, so taste-test one to ensure they’re ready.
- Serve the tortellini in the broth, garnished with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for extra flavor.
Enjoy your homemade vegan tortellini in brodo—a dish that’s as comforting as it is impressive!
Vegan Tortellini In Brodo – Substitutes
- Soy Sauce: Substitute with tamari for a gluten-free option or use liquid aminos for a milder taste. Miso paste (about 1-2 teaspoons) can also work to add umami.
- Dried Mushrooms: Use fresh mushrooms (like shiitake or cremini) if dried ones aren’t available. Alternatively, mushroom powder can enhance the broth’s flavor.
- Soy Chunks: textured vegetable protein (TVP) or seitan
- Tomato Passata: Tomato paste (1/2 the amount)
Tips for Success
- Work quickly: Once the dough is rolled out, it can dry quickly, making it harder to shape. Keep unused portions covered with a damp cloth.
- Freeze extras: If you make more tortellini than you need, freeze them in a single layer on a tray before transferring them to a bag. Cook from frozen when ready to use.
Why Make It From Scratch?
Making tortellini in brodo from scratch is a labor of love that connects you to the heart of Italian cooking. It’s a celebration of simple, wholesome ingredients transformed through technique and care. While it takes time and patience, the reward is a warming, nourishing bowl of soup that’s perfect for sharing with loved ones. It’s also a super fun activity to do with your loved ones before eating them. And nothing tastes quite like something you’ve made from scratch.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below, give it a rating or share your recreation on Instagram and tag me at @recipesandplaces or use the hashtag #recipesandplaces
I love to see recreations and share them!
Vegan Tortellini In Brodo From Scratch
A cozy, comforting dish featuring handmade vegan tortellini swimming in a rich, flavorful broth—perfect for special occasions or a weekend cooking project.
Ingredients
Filling
- 100 g dry soy chunks
- 200 g oyster mushrooms
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 carrot
- 1/2 celery stalk
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- A pinch of nutmeg
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Broth
- 3 liters water
- 2 onion cut in half
- 2 carrot cut in half
- 2 potato cut in half
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh Rosemary
- 1/4 cup dried mushrooms
- 5 garlic cloves cut in half
- 2 small piece ginger cut in half
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
Dough
- 300 g durum wheat semolina 1 and 2/3 cups
- 130 g water 1/2 cup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of turmeric
Instructions
Make The Broth
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 onions, 2 carrots, 5 garlic cloves, and 2 small pieces of ginger (cut in half, cut side down) and let them brown on both sides for extra depth of flavor.
- Pour in 3 liters of water, 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1/4 cup dried mushrooms. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for at least 1 hour, allowing the flavors to develop. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids. Set aside—this will be used to cook the tortellini.
Prepare the filling
- Place 100g of soy chunks in a pot and cover with three times their volume of water. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze out any excess water. In the meantime make the dough (below)
- Transfer the soy chunks to a blender or food processor along with 200g of oyster mushrooms. Blend until the mixture forms a finely chopped paste with some texture.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 finely chopped onion, 1/2 finely chopped carrot, and 1/2 finely chopped celery stalk, and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the blended soy-mushroom mixture and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 4 tablespoons of tomato passata, cooking until the mixture absorbs the liquid.
- Season with a pinch of paprika, onion powder, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat, cool the filling, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
Prepare the dough
- In a mixing bowl, combine 300g of durum wheat semolina, a pinch of salt, a pinch of turmeric (optional, for color), 2 tablespoon of olive oil, and start with 130g of water. It’s better to start with less water and add gradually as needed.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. If it feels too dry at first, keep kneading—the dough should come together. Add water drops at a time, avoid making it too soft.
- Cover the dough with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Shape the Tortellini
- Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces, keeping unused portions covered to prevent drying out.
- Roll out one piece into a thin rectangular sheet, approximately 1 mm thick.
- Use a pizza wheel to cut the sheet into squares, 3 cm (1.18 inches) or 4 cm (1.5 inches) in size.
- Place a small ball of filling (about 1/4 teaspoon) in the center of each square.
- Fold the square into a triangle, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Push the filling upward slightly, then join the two corners of the triangle together, pressing firmly to create the tortellini shape.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Place finished tortellini on a floured surface, dusting them lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
Cooking and Serving
- Heat the prepared broth and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the tortellini in small batches in the broth for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. The cooking time will depend on their size, so taste-test one to ensure they’re ready.
- Serve the tortellini in the broth, garnished with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for extra flavor.
- Enjoy your homemade vegan tortellini in brodo—a dish that’s as comforting as it is impressive!
Notes
The amount of time it takes to prepare this recipe is indicative, it depends a lot on your skill when shaping the tortellini. That is the step that takes the longest. It also depends on the size of the tortellini, to make it easier you can make them a little bigger.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
