Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup diced carrots, about 3 medium carrots, peeled
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 cups chicken broth, I use low-sodium
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 ounces cheese tortellini (see note)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 to 2 cans (15-ounces each) Great Northern, cannellini, or other white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken
- 2-3 cups lightly packed, torn or coarsely chopped fresh spinach
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a 6- or 8-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook/sweat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are mostly tender (they'll continue to cook for a few minutes in the next step).
- Whisk or blend the flour and milk together until smooth and add it to the soup, stirring constantly. Add the beans, chicken and spinach. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and all the ingredients are heated through and the tortellini are tender.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Notes
Tortellini: I usually use the Kirkland brand refrigerated cheese tortellini from Costco. It comes in 22-24 ounce packages. This recipe calls for 10 ounces tortellini, but for a thicker, heartier soup, you can double the tortellini amount (same goes for the beans, as noted in the ingredient list).