Need an easy one-pot recipe to get dinner sorted quickly on a chilly day? Try this Creamy Smoked Salmon Tortellini Soup recipe! It is an easy one-pot dinner packed with tender potatoes, cheese-filled tortellini and smoky salmon in a rich, savoury broth. Finished with a splash of cream, it’s cosy and comforting without feeling overly heavy. Everything cooks in one pot, and the soup is ready in about 30 minutes. The potatoes help make the broth hearty and chowder-like, while smoked salmon adds plenty of flavour without requiring hours of simmering.
I like using spinach and ricotta tortellini here, but you can easily swap in your favourite cheese tortellini. Add a little red chilli for warmth and serve with crusty bread or garlic bread for an easy cold-weather dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Smoked Salmon Tortellini Soup Recipe
Every time I make this soup, it genuinely feels like a big hug in a bowl. It’s relatively quick and easy, but tastes like restaurant-quality food.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Smoked salmon is already packed with flavour, so you don’t need to simmer the soup for hours to develop a rich broth.
- Made in one pot. The potatoes, broth, tortellini, and salmon all cook in the same pot, which means minimal washing up afterwards.
- Creamy and comforting. Just a little splash of double cream (heavy cream) gives the broth a lovely richness without making the soup excessively heavy.
- A complete meal. With potatoes, tortellini, and salmon all in one bowl, this soup is filling enough to serve as dinner on its own.

How to make Smoked Salmon Chowder with Tortellini
Ingredients You Need
- Smoked Salmon – the star of the soup! Smoked salmon adds plenty of savoury, smoky flavour without requiring a long cooking time. Cut it into bite-sized strips before adding it towards the end of cooking.
- Tortellini – I used spinach ricotta tortellini, but any flavour of your choice works
- Fish Stock & Chicken Stock – I use a combination of the two. Fish stock complements the salmon while chicken stock rounds out the flavour without making the soup overwhelmingly fishy.
- Ghee / Butter – either works. I particularly like ghee because its slightly nutty, concentrated buttery flavour adds another layer of richness to the soup.
- Potatoes – use floury or all-purpose potatoes that become tender when simmered, such as Maris Piper potatoes (or Yukon Gold/russet potatoes in the US). Cutting the potatoes into small, evenly sized chunks helps them cook quickly.
- Onion, Garlic – the aromatic base of the soup
- Red Chillies – optional, but I love the little kick of heat against the rich cream and smoky salmon.
- Oregano – adding a subtle herby flavour to the creamy broth.
- Salt & Black Pepper – to taste
- Chives – for garnish
Recipe Notes
- Be careful with the salt. Smoked salmon and stock can both be fairly salty, so I recommend seasoning lightly at the beginning and adjusting to taste once the soup is finished.
- Cut the potatoes into small, even chunks. This helps them cook quickly and evenly. They should be fork-tender before you add the tortellini, as the pasta only needs a few minutes to cook.
- Ghee adds extra flavour, but butter works just as well. I like using ghee for its concentrated buttery, slightly nutty flavour, which adds a little more richness to the soup. Regular unsalted butter is an easy substitute.
- Add the tortellini towards the end. Fresh tortellini typically only takes a few minutes to cook and will continue soaking up the broth as it sits. If you’re making the soup ahead, leave out the tortellini and cook it in the soup just before serving.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the cream. There’s no need to vigorously boil it at this stage. Simply simmer gently until the tortellini is cooked through, and everything is nicely heated.
- For a thicker chowder consistency, mash a few potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender, mash a few pieces against the side of the pot before adding the tortellini and cream. The potato starch will naturally thicken the broth without needing flour or another thickener.

What to Serve With Smoked Salmon Tortellini Soup
How to Store and Reheat Smoked Salmon Tortellini Soup
For any leftovers, you can store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. I’d recommend storing the soup and tortellini separately, as the tortellini could get rather soggy after sitting in the soup for a prolonged period. To reheat, I’d recommend doing it gently on the stove.
To make ahead, prepare the chowder base without tortellini, refrigerate it, then cook tortellini when reheating.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
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Smoked Salmon Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Butter / Ghee
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- 2 Red Chillies
- 1 Onion chopped
- 250 g Potatoes chopped into chunks
- Salt & Black Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1½ cup Fish Stock
- 1½ cup Chicken Stock
- ¼ cup Double Cream
- 85 g Smoked Salmon sliced
- 150 g Tortellini
- Chives / Spring Onions for garnish
Instructions
- Melt ghee/butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.1 tbsp Butter / Ghee, 2 cloves Garlic
- Add onions and red chillies (if using). Cook for 5 minutes until golden.1 Onion, 2 Red Chillies
- Stir in the potatoes and season with oregano, salt & black pepper.250 g Potatoes, 1 tsp Oregano, Salt & Black Pepper
- Add in both fish stock and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are soft & tender.1½ cup Fish Stock, 1½ cup Chicken Stock
- Stir in smoked salmon slices then add in tortellini and double cream. Let simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the tortellini is cooked through.¼ cup Double Cream, 85 g Smoked Salmon, 150 g Tortellini
- Garnish with chopped chives or spring onions and serve immediately.Chives / Spring Onions
Notes
- Be careful with the salt. Smoked salmon and stock can both be fairly salty, so I recommend seasoning lightly at the beginning and adjusting to taste once the soup is finished.
- Cut the potatoes into small, even chunks. This helps them cook quickly and evenly. They should be fork-tender before you add the tortellini, as the pasta only needs a few minutes to cook.
- Ghee adds extra flavour, but butter works just as well. I like using ghee for its concentrated buttery, slightly nutty flavour, which adds a little more richness to the soup. Regular unsalted butter is an easy substitute.
- Add the tortellini towards the end. Fresh tortellini typically only takes a few minutes to cook and will continue soaking up the broth as it sits. If you’re making the soup ahead, leave out the tortellini and cook it in the soup just before serving.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the cream. There’s no need to vigorously boil it at this stage. Simply simmer gently until the tortellini is cooked through and everything is nicely heated.
- For a thicker chowder consistency, mash a few potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender, mash a few pieces against the side of the pot before adding the tortellini and cream. The potato starch will naturally thicken the broth without needing flour or another thickener.
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