Tortellini in brodo is more than a meal - it’s a hug in a bowl. Small pasta morsels stuffed with delicious meat filling floating in rich hot broth is the ultimate comfort food.
Whether served during the holidays or on a cozy evening, this timeless classic wraps you in the warmth of Italian home cooking with every spoonful.
Table Of Contents
What's so special?
- Of course tortellini are the star of the show. And, yes, it's OK to Use store-bought as long as they're high quality, preferably Italian brand. I love Giovanni Ranna.
Up for a challenge? Learn how to make tortellini from scratch just like an Italian nonna. Make sure to pop some in the freezer! - You can't make dream-worthy tortellini in brodo without properly made homemade broth. No shortcuts here. You can use classic Italian meat broth (brodo di carne) or traditional chicken (capon) broth (brodo di capone) used specifically to make tortellini in brodo. In this recipe, I'm sharing my mother's-in-law chicken broth that once you try it, it'll be impossible to forget!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Chicken or rooster - use free-range whenever possible. Best if you can get a capon - a special types of male chicken that has been created to make more tender and flavorful meat. I also remove chicken breast and use it other recipes. Alternatively use whole bone-in chicken legs.
- Carrot, onion and celery ribs - classic flavor base just like in soffritto.
- Pepper corns - whole pepper corns
- Sun-dried tomatoes - gives a signature hint of sweetness, acidity and color. You can use any kind: in oil, in salt of vacuum packed.
- Fresh basil - a secret ingredient that makes this chicken broth epic. If you don't have fresh frozen basil also works. One or two large sprigs will be enough. It doesn't have to be pretty, even last basil from your backyard or windowsill will do. Don Not use dry basil, it doesn't have the same flavor.
- Tortellini - obviously. Homemade tortellini are the best. Freshly made or frozen. But you don't have to be a skilled pasta maker to enjoy tortellini in brodo. Store-bought are fine! The best store-bought Italian brand that's available in many countries and I use it all the time if I don't have homemade tortellini in the freezer is Giovanni Rana.
How To Make - Step By Step
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- In a large pot add chicken cut in quarters. Add carrot, onion and celery rib cut in large chunks. Add sun-dried tomatoes, whole pepper corns and fresh basil.
- Fill the pot with water until vegetables and meat are submerged. See the note below on the broth's perfect meat-to-water ratio. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for about 50-60 minutes.
Extra Tip: I usually make the broth 1-2 days before I plan to make tortellini in brodo. This way I can serve chicken meat with cooked vegetables from the broth one day and use the broth to make tortellini in brodo the next day. If you do it other way around you risk eating dry chicken since there will be not enough broth left to cover chicken meat.
- Remove the meat and strain the broth using a fine mesh sieve. NOTE: it's best to plan your meals so that you eat chicken meat and veggies the day before and the next day you strain and use the broth to make tortellini in brodo.
- When ready to cook tortellini, bring broth to a boil and drop tortellini. Tortellini usually cook in 3-5 minutes. You can always taste one and adjust cooking time as needed. Laddle into bowls. Some like to grate some Parmesan on top.
Meat-To-Water Ratio For Broth
While seems unimportant, knowing the right meat-to-water ratio is of the keys to the most delicious broth.
Since chicken vary vastly in size, you'll need to know your chicken weight to do the calculation.
- Weight in kilograms: meat to water ratio is 1:2.5. This means for every kilogram of chicken you’ll need 2.5 liters of water.
Formula: chicken weight in kg x 2.5 = Water needed (in liters).
Example: My rooster weighted 1.3 kg so I used 3.25 liters of water. - Weight in pounds:meat to water ratio is 1:1.2 for every pound of chicken you'll need 1.2 quarts of water (precisely 1 quart + ⅔).
Formula: chicken weight in pounds x 1.2 = Water needed (in quarts).
Top Tips - Don't Miss!
- Don't skip the basil. Fresh or frozen. It's the secret ingredient that makes this chicken broth truly special!
- Plan to eat chicken first. Then use the broth to make tortellini in brodo or you'll end up with dry chicken meat as there will be not enough broth left to store it.
- Darker broth. Chicken broth is usually lighter in color compared to meat broth. If you like richer color, use onion with a skin on.
- Leaner broth. Trim off some fat from the chicken before arranging it in a pot. Do NOT remove all the fat since it's one of the key flavor builders in the broth. Alternatively you can skim off some of the fat once the broth is cool.
How To Store
Once tortellini in brodo are cooked it's best to consume them immediately. You can store broth and uncooked tortellini separately before cooking. See make ahead instructions for details
Make Ahead
You can prepare chicken broth 2-3 days in advance. Homemade tortellini can be made up to 2 months in advance and stored in the freezer.
More Recipes Using Broth
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Full Recipe
Tortellini in Brodo
This tortellini in brodo is the most comforting Italian soup. Stuffed tortellini pasta cooked and served in homemade broth is one of a kind!
SERVINGS: 4
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole free-range chicken , about 1 kg, see Note 1
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 carrot
- 2 celery ribs
- 1-2 sun-dried tomatoes , depending on their size
- 1 teaspoon whole pepper corns
- 2 sprigs basil fresh or frozen, see Note 2
- 2.4 quarts water , about 2.5 liters, see Note 3
- salt , to taste
- 16 oz Tortellini , see Note 4
Instructions
- In a large pot add chicken cut in quarters. Add carrot, onion and celery rib cut in large chunks. Add sun-dried tomatoes, whole pepper corns and fresh basil.
- Fill the pot with water until vegetables and meat are submerged.
- The best chicken to water ratio for broth is 1:2.5. Means for every kilogram of chicken you’ll need 2.5 liters of water.See Note 3 for the precise water amount for the size of your chicken.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for 50-60 minutes. Cooking time depends on the type of chicken you used. Roosters and old hens cook longer as opposed to younger chicken.Adjust for salt at the end of cooking.
- Remove the meat and strain the broth using a fine mesh sieve. NOTE: it's best to plan your meals in a way that you eat chicken meat and veggies first and then the next day you strain and use the broth to make tortellini in brodo.
- When ready to cook tortellini, bring broth to a boil and drop tortellini. Tortellini usually cook in 3-5 minutes. You can always taste one and adjust cooking time as needed. Laddle into bowls. Some like to grate some Parmesan on top.
Notes
See the Step By Step Pictures for a visual walk-through of the recipe.
Note 1: Alternatively 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs or whole rooster or a hen. When using a whole bird I always remove chicken breast and use in other recipes.
Note 2: dry basil won't work. Use fresh or frozen. It makes a huge difference. Note 3: adjust meat-to-water ratio depending on the size of the chicken. Weight your chicken and do the calculation.
Note 2: dry basil won't work. Use fresh or frozen. It makes a huge difference. Note 3: adjust meat-to-water ratio depending on the size of the chicken. Weight your chicken and do the calculation.
-
- Weight in kilograms: meat to water ratio is 1:2.5. This means for every kilogram of chicken you’ll need 2.5 liters of water.
Formula: chicken weight in kg x 2.5 = Water needed (in liters).
- Weight in kilograms: meat to water ratio is 1:2.5. This means for every kilogram of chicken you’ll need 2.5 liters of water.
-
- Weight in pounds:meat to water ratio is 1:1.2 for every pound of chicken you'll need 1.2 quarts of water (precisely 1 quart + ⅔). Formula: chicken weight in pounds x 1.2 = Water needed (in quarts).
-
- Don't skip the basil. Fresh or frozen. It's the secret ingredient that makes this chicken broth truly special!
-
- Plan to eat chicken first. Then use the broth to make tortellini in brodo or you'll end up with dry chicken meat as there will be not enough broth left to store it.
-
- Darker broth. Chicken broth is usually lighter in color compared to meat broth. If you like richer color, use onion with a skin on.
-
- Leaner broth. Trim off some fat from the chicken before arranging it in a pot. Do NOT remove all the fat since it's one of the key flavor builders in the broth. Alternatively you can skim off some of the fat once the broth is cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 706kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 46gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 642mgPotassium: 417mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2783IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have a question or want to let me know you loved the recipe?Leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!
Terry says
This, of course it’s just like the soup that my mama made, but we never use sun-dried tomatoes, she would always just throw a whole tomato in or if she had a frozen tomato, she would throw that in. But now I can’t wait to use sun-dried tomatoes.
Svitlana says
Sun-dried tomatoes have a more pronounced flavor, plus there's added convenience since you can have them always available in the fridge or in the pantry. Having said that, fresh tomatoes also work! Especially when they're in season. Mamas know the way <3