Meal In A Jar: Tortellini Soup

A favorite flavor-packed meal in a jar, just add water and a can of crushed tomatoes. It’s a favorite one-pot lentil and tomato-based stew, dotted with plump, tender tortellini, spiked with a range of spices. Perfect for one-pot camping or weeknight meals.

Meal In A Jar: Tortellini Soup

In nearly twenty years of sharing recipes on this site I don't think I've ever posted a meal in a jar. I'm talking about the "just add water" style jar meals. The kind you can keep in the pantry, gift to friends, or pack with you for a road trip or camping trip. In contrast, I'm not talking about green salads in a jar, or burrito in a jar, or those sorts of meals. Just want to clarify. I like a meal in a jar that can be cooked in one pan and only requires water and perhaps one can of something (tomatoes, or coconut milk, etc.) to be great. 
Meal In A Jar Tortellini Soup in Weck Jars on Countertop
I make a range of these whenever we go camping or take our travel trailer out (and just posted a recipe collection of the ones I make most: Recipes for the Road). We've been doing a lot of fall/winter coastal camping and a cozy soup or stew always hits the spot. We were at beautiful Crystal Cove State Park for a few days last week and had to hitch up the trailer in the worst rain and wind storm to hit the California Coast all year. Complete laugh/cry mud fest. Torrential downpour. Sideways rain. This was the perfect hearty bowl of soup to thaw us out.
Meal In A Jar Tortellini Soup in a Big White Pot

Meal In A Jar Tortellini Soup

If you've tried this Curried Tomato Tortellini Soup, you'll immediately recognize the inspiration. This is basically the "meal in a jar" version of that soup. It's a fortifying lentil and tomato-based stew dotted with plump, tender tortellini, and spiked with a range of spices. It's so delicious, and simple, and this version you combine the jar ingredients with water and a can of crushed tomatoes. There's literally no prep required for this version once you've built your jar. I talk about bonus ingredients down below, and they're completely optional but instead of the spinach called for in the non-jar recipe, I like to add finely chopped kale or broccoli florets, or whatever I have on had to work in a green veg component in this version.
 View From Crystal Cove Campground

Meal in A Jar Instructions

This is just a reminder to be nice to your future self. Be sure to include all instructions on the side of your jar or container. You can use a sticker, washi tape, tag, or Sharpie marker. If you're designing your own meal in a jar (I often rework favorite recipes) try to keep things as simple as possible. This means ingredients and instructions. Take a first stab and then tweak as you go until you have a great master recipe. For this soup, I know I can always track down a can of tomatoes (I keep a couple cans in the trailer), so aside from the jar contents all I need is that and water. The instructions fit on one line. It's basically as simple as this: simmer contents of jar with 5 1/2 cups water and 14-oz can of tomatoes. 
Airstream Trailer from the Front Parked at the Beach

Bonus Ingredients

With these meal in a jar situations I often look to the refrigerator or cooler box for an extra ingredient or two. They're not necessary, but can be nice to have. Basically, think of it as bonus points for rounding out whatever goes in the pot with whatever fresh ingredient(s) like kale or broccoli you might have on hand. Half the time for me, it's broccoli, or some chopped kale. Use what you've got, it's hard to go wrong! Cabbage, asparagus, corn, etc. So many add-ins would work here.
Meal in a Jar Tortellini Soup Recipe Handwritten in Journal

Pro-tip! Good Herbs & Spices

These types of meals in jars rely heavily on dry spices, herbs, and the like for flavor and seasoning. You want to use the best, freshest you've got. It's the difference between using a curry paste and a curry powder. Or, the difference between using something like sriracha sauce and dried chile peppers and garlic.  If you're going to make a bunch of these jars for future meals go ahead and reboot your most used spices, spice blends and dried ingredients. Source from great sources, store them in a dark, cool place, and be sure they're beautifully fragrant. I list my favorite suppliers in the back of all of my books.
Meal In A Jar Tortellini Soup in Weck Jars on Countertop

If you like this sort of meal in a jar recipe, let me know. I tend to keep these sorts of recipes to myself, In part because I often throw them together in a hurry. But I always take notes, and make tweaks, and have quite a collection of them in my notebooks. Happy to share more if you like! In fact, here's an Italian Barley Soup recipe - the jar version. I've just added this Spicy Coconut Curry Noodles recipe as well. And, in the time since this was originally posted, I've arranged them into this collection: Recipes for the Road: A Small, Useful Collection of Meal-In-Jar & Just-Add-Water Recipes for Road Trips, Camping & Everyday Life.
Recipes for the Road: Meals in a Jar and Just Add Water Recipes Cover
You can get more information about the collection here. It includes my favorite adventure pancake mix recipe, a bunch of soup mixes, an A+ recipe for packets of instant oatmeal, and a bunch of other recipes, photos, tips & resources.

More Soup Recipes

And if soups are your thing, be sure to browse the archives. No one loves a good one more than me and there are dozens of great soup recipes to be had. Don't miss this lentil soup, this simple tomato soup, or this ribollita. I've been increasingly using this homemade bouillon powder instead of store-bought. And here's a list of my favorite camping recipes. Get out there!

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Meal In A Jar Tortellini Soup

4.87 from 29 votes

I tend to use Ancient Harvest pre-rinsed quinoa here, and whatever curry powder I have on hand, either homemade or I also really like Terre Exotique Curry de Madras. Pick over your red lentils to make sure there are no little pebbles in the mix. You can find dry tortellini at Trader Joes. And on the tomato front, I love fire-roasted tomatoes here, but regular are good too! I can’t always find fire-roasted.

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup pre-rinsed, uncooked quinoa
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon minced dried onion
  • 8 ounces / ~2 cups dry tortellini
  • 1 14- ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • optional stir-ins: 2 cups chopped kale, a splash of coconut milk, squeeze of lemon
Instructions
Build your meal in a jar:
  1. Layer the quinoa, curry powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, red chile flakes, red lentils salt, dried onion, and tortellini in a quart-sized mason jar. Put the lid on the jar and seal until you’re ready to make the soup.
Make your soup:
  1. In a medium-large sauce pan combine the contents of the jar, the tomatoes, and 5 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the tortellini, lentils, and quinoa are cooked through - 13-15 minutes or so. Add more water a splash at a time if needed. Stir in any of the recommended add-ins at this point and bring back to a simmer. Taste and add more salt if needed and enjoy!

Notes

Serves 4-6.

Serves
6
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
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4.87 from 29 votes (8 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Comments

I’ll try this. I’m a solo camper and will try this out but make it smaller because I don’t need to make food for 4-6. Maybe a 1/4 size version. Might also dehydrate the tomatoes as well then all I’d need to do is add water and cook in my little tiny pot over my little tiny stove.

This was delicious even though I forgot the tomatoes. Cooked for 30 minutes at 9,000 feet. Textures were great. Looking forward to it with the tomatoes.5 stars

Jaimie

I made this last weekend and it was delicious, even though I forgot to add the tomatoes. The lentils disintegrated and made a thick sauce and the tortellini was not over cooked, as I had worried it would. It took 30 minutes at 8,000 feet. Trying it next trip with the tomatoes . Thank you.5 stars

Jaimie

    Lol! Glad it worked out Jaimie.

    Heidi Swanson

Thank you for the home made bouillon cube recipe. I had planned to gift these perfect easy meals of yours to family and friends, but could not find a store bought bouillon cube that I would serve to my family. Now I can buy the jars which raise another question, Heidi. What size jars do I need?

Happy Easter5 stars

senorenapeepers

    I like to pack them in quart jars, and then use those jars for leftovers after. I think you can get away with a pint jar for the dry ingredients in the Italian Barley Soup, but I’m realizing its better to go with the larger jar in case you need it to store leftovers.

    Heidi Swanson

I was somewhat suspicious because it’s kind of like Italy meets India for ingredients, but this was great. It was filling and felt wholesome. It’s going on the keeper list. Also not perishable which is great for our camping trip. I think portioning might be optimistic on this recipe. If you are camping it is likely you are engaging in physical activity during the day which is going to make you hungry. I would say this feeds 2-3 hungry people in the outdoors, if 4-6 people were to share this they would be little humans eating very small portions or still hungry.5 stars

Jen

    Thanks Jen! Happy you enjoyed it.

    Heidi Swanson

Can you recommend a spice blend or substitute for curry powder? A mix of cumin and chili powder? Or just leave it out and don’t worry about a substitute?

I love this series of meals in a jar and am thinking that I’ve got Christmas 2022 presents sorted out thanks to you!

    Hi Maura! Great to hear :)…I really like this Madras curry powder and always grab a couple containers when I see it. There’s a Food & Wine article from a few years back that point to some great spice blend producers, so you can explore there as well. And check in with Diaspora Co. they’re starting to do blends. And yes, you can absolutely leave it out. Or add a different flavor profile for example dried oregano and basil, etc.

    Heidi Swanson

Please post more of these meal in a jar recipes! We’ve made this one and the barley one (used farro) and they were both delicious. We have enjoyed so many of your recipes both from your books and your blog. Thanks so much!5 stars

Sandy

    Thanks Sandy! Appreciate the note and feedback. I have a great noodle-tastic curry we make all the time. I still need to photograph, but it should be next on my list.

    Heidi Swanson

Please tell us where you buy Terre Exotique Curry de Madras. Thanks!

elounance

    Hi Elounance – if you do a search you can usually find a few sources in the US – thefrenchfarm.com, etc. And, really, as long as you choose a curry powder you love, you’ll be fine!

    Heidi Swanson

Love the meal in a jar concept and would appreciate more of the soup variety but also as you suggested, ones that you could also bake in the oven.

Thanks!
Lizanne

Lizanne

You are changing/saving my life with this recipe and any future recipes this series contains. Starting a MAJOR home renovation with a makeshift kitchen (aka camp kitchen, basically) feeding 3 young kids for the next 6 months. I’ve been a fan for 11-12 years, but this idea might be your biggest influence in my kitchen yet!!

BeckyB

    Thanks Becky, good luck with the reno!

    Heidi Swanson

Yes to more of these — I need some more inspiration for camping meals. thanks!5 stars

Kel

Would love to see more recipes like this, too.

Could you please tell us the source of the glass jars you’re using? Thanks!

Diane

    Hi Diane – they’re Weck Jars. Love them!

    Heidi Swanson

Lovely! Echoing everyone else to say, more please, to this idea. I’m expecting a new babe in a few weeks and this is a nice supplement to the freezer meals we’ve been preparing in anticipation.

Megan

Just made this tonight – fantastic! Although I love to spend the whole day cooking, with 2 little kids, that’s rarely possible these days so I’d love to have more recipes like this for busy weekday lunches and dinners!5 stars

Lindsay

    Thanks Lindsay! Working on a few more favorite soups in jars for everyone. xx!

    Heidi Swanson

I agree! Getting a couple of these in the lineup for quick weeknight dinners sounds like a dream!

Jenn

Your non-jar version is a family favorite so I’m looking forward to making this our trailer for weekend snowboarding. I would love to have more of these recipes for camping!

jennifer

Am bringing this to a friend tomorrow as part of a late Christmas gift. Would love more. I’ll also make the complete recipe with fresh tortellini for a dinner this week.

Harriet Friedman

I love this, and would very much appreciate more like this!

Amy M

Agree with others – please post any/all of your other camping meal options! It can be hard to come up with filling ideas as a vegetarian.5 stars

Rachel

Yes, yes! More like this, please! Love this idea.

Mindy

I’m also asking “yes, please” for some more of these recipes — camping, emergencies, gifts to college students or recent grads… Such a handy idea!5 stars

Claire

Yes! Please add more meals in a jar like this. Love this for our busy weeks and traveling

Maisha

This is a perfect, last-minute gift idea for fellow campers–thanks for sharing! And yes, I’d love to see more camping-friendly meal prep. We also spend vacations and long weekends in a small camper and want to eat something more inspiring than mac-n-cheese from a box. Happy holidays!5 stars

Rebecca Shannon

Yes! to more ” meals in a jar” Please! Had intended to do something like this for gifts that would be easy Instant Pot meals in a jar, but did not get to it yet! Thank you for all your wonderful yummy inspirational ideas.5 stars

Allison Engle

All your ideas and recipes are wonderful and inspiring, Heidi! Thank you for them!

Sally Maccoun

Please give us more like this. It would be very useful for both camping, and as gifts for busy people,

Barb O

I would love more jar recipes.what is the noodle soup next to the tortellini jar? It looks good too!5 stars

Linda Maria

Yes please! I’d love to have more of these for weekends away from , to make a simpler getaway. This one looks good

Renée Johnson

If you have a chronic illness where some days are good some not so—or if you’re just feeling slow—this is a great alternative to have in the cupboard! Beats canned soup or having to cook on bad days. Thank you, Heidi for years of deliciousness and good taste in all things.5 stars

Merced

As a fellow camper, I’d love to see more of these shelf stable dinners in a jar. Please do post.3 stars

Jaimie

I would love to see more of these recipes. I have a dear aunt in assisted living who does almost NO cooking and these would be nourishing and simple for her when she doesn’t eat the menu options – which is often.5 stars

Lonnie

Love this idea- I’m thinking of putting one together for a friend as part of their Christmas gift. Is the other jar labelled spicy noodles? Would love any other recipes if you’d be happy to share- Thankyou!5 stars

Sarah

    Yes! It’s a spicy noodle situation I’m still fine tuning – I’ve been through a range of noodles, and it is tricky to get them right when you’re simmering them all in one pot! Rice noodles (tried a range of thicknesses) ended up being too goopy. Tasty but goopy.

    Heidi Swanson

I LOVE this soup in a jar idea and would definitely like more of your recipes for these!5 stars

Elizabeth Boyd

    Thanks Elizabeth!

    Heidi Swanson

Yes! More like this! Thank you!5 stars

Victoria Baker

I ❤️❤️❤️ this idea! Please share more. I especially love that it’s shelf stable. Perfect for “emergency” meals when you don’t feel like cooking, but can grab this, add water + tomatoes and have a home cooked meal.5 stars

Jen

Thank you for sharing these. Great for meal preplanning and a great gift for college students who are cooking for themselves

Veronica

Seems like east weeknight Meal with kids too so I’ll take more:)

Stephanie Thomas

More meals in a jar please!5 stars

Monique

Genius. Especially for traveling as a vegan…I can always find hot water. I’ve done this with oatmeal before, but love the idea of converting this into an airport meal a la instant noodles. Please share more.5 stars

Morgan Balavage

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