Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

A recipe by Brita, a Canadian home cook and food content creator living in Austin, Texas. Her website is: https://britacooks.com/

Inspired by Brita’s Instagram video, I decided to give her recipe a try. It took approximately 45 minutes to prepare this delicious Chicken Tortellini Soup for my family of five. Here’s how you can make it too:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8 people

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 leek (white and light green bits only), chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 carton vegetable or chicken stock (approximately 4 cups)
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 12 oz tortellini
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• Garnish: shaved parmesan and basil
• 1 pinch salt
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

A luxurious creamy tomato base with perfect clouds of tortellini, tender pieces of chicken, and vibrant kale. Prep is really simple so that you can be ready to throw all the ingredients into the pot easily. For my version of the soup, I used white onion instead of yellow onion and omitted the leeks and dry white wine. The soup turned out delicious, and my family loved it.

Instructions:

Step 1: Mirepoix Magic
Begin by preparing your mirepoix—the aromatic base for your soup. Chop half a large yellow onion (or a small/medium-sized one), three garlic cloves, and one celery stalk. If you’re using leeks, chop off the dark green ends, clean thoroughly, and chop the white/light green part thinly into quarters.

Step 2: Sautéing
In a large pot heated over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Sauté the onion, leek, celery, and garlic for about 5 minutes until they are slightly golden and fragrant. Add a pinch of salt and, if desired, a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step 3: Deglazing and Base
Optionally, add 1/2 cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pot, cooking for 2 minutes. If you prefer not to use wine, add the crushed tomatoes directly. Stir to incorporate, then add the stock (vegetable or chicken). Bring to a bubble.

Step 4: Simmering
Once the soup has reached a slight bubble, add in a Parmesan rind. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the liquid to reduce slightly, creating a richer and more concentrated broth.

Step 5: Tortellini
Follow the tortellini package instructions in a separate pot which takes approximately 10 minutes. After your soup has reduced slightly and thickened up a bit, remove the parmesan rind. Add in your tortellini and cook them directly in the soup.

Step 6: Finishing Touches
Add the heavy whipping cream, stirring to incorporate. Then, throw in the chopped kale and rotisserie chicken. Let them heat through.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve
Garnish with shaved parmesan, fresh basil, and additional red pepper flakes if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.