Tortellini Soup

The other night it was got chilly down here in the South and I was craving soup. I love soup but my kids not so much. Tortellini soup works out well because I can cook the tortellini in the veggies (so they absorb the nutrients) and then pull them out and serve them with sauce.

I started with this recipe but didn’t add chicken or the heavy cream. I added extra veggies (broccoli and cauliflower). It was yummy!

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
2 cups carrots sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast 2 large breasts
9 cups chicken broth
8.8 ounce package Tortellini Pasta
1/4 – 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons packed frozen spinach 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper

Instructions
Place a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped onions. Saute for 3 minutes to soften. Then add the chopped bell pepper, carrots, and garlic. Saute another 3 minutes.
Add whole raw chicken breasts, chicken broth, crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat a little and simmer 15 minutes, until the chicken in cooked through. Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board.

Turn the heat back to medium. With the broth still simmering, stir in the Cheese Tortellini. Stir well so it doesn’t stick together. Then chop or shred the chicken and place back in the soup.
Once the tortellini is cooked through, about 10-14 minutes, turn off the heat. Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream, and spinach. Add a little more cream if desired. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy!