This tortellini soup first made its debut only one month ago after I developed the recipe to serve to my friends at the friends-giving dinner that me and my roommate hosted this year. I was feeling inspired after seeing many different creamy tortellini soup recipes online while trying to figure out what kind of soup I wanted to serve my friends, (anyone who knows me well also knows well my love of soup, and specifically being able to share in the company of my friends over a warm, comforting bowl of such.) I eventually decided that a tortellini soup would be perfect for the occasion, however, I did want to develop my own soup that would be more fitting to the flavours I love so much. Of course, I chose a tomato soup base. I adore tomato soup, and I really wanted to lean into the warm, comforting, nostalgic feeling for this recipe (since it is a thanksgiving, fall/winter soup), and what fits that category more than a tomato soup? Spice wise I wanted to choose flavour palette that was approachable and familiar, but not boring. I chose a wide variety of spices, pairing my personal favourites like paprika and sumac, with spices I find myself reaching for less, like Italian seasoning blend. While brainstorming, I felt like something was missing from this soup, I had been trying to elevate it, but in the end it just felt like any other tomato soup. I eventually decided that what it needed was something green to give it a little more depth. The only question was what? Parsley would pair nicely with the flavours, but it was just another spice and I felt I needed something more substantial for this soup. Basil was too boring and traditional for a tomato soup and, like parsley, was a leafy spice rather than a substantial green. I originally decided on spinach, feeling that the mild flavour would pair well and provide the colour and texture I was looking for, however, at the store my eyes landed on kale, which I decided would be much more apt, with its more distinctive flavour and more structured form compared to spinach. The kale ended up working really well in this soup and I was really happy with how it turned out.
This soup was the perfect addition to our friends-giving table, and was a total hit with my dear friends, which, of course, is the biggest compliment I could receive. I take a lot of pride in my cooking and baking, and seeing my friends enjoy something that I made is warmer than any bowl of soup. I’m trying to write this recipe quickly because I have a friend who is very eager to see it posted (hi Kelaila!) and if that isn’t the biggest motivator then I don’t know what is.
Overall, this dish is a substantial vegetarian dinner that can be easily made gluten free. It keeps well in the fridge and can be reheated easily in the microwave or on the stove. This recipe makes four servings.
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp butter or olive oil
- half of a large red onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (gluten free ap flour can be substituted 1:1)
- 400ml crushed tomatoes (or about half of a standard can)
- 700ml, or about 3 cups broth of choice, (I’m using chicken bone broth)
- 240ml whipping cream
- 300g cooked tortellini (I’m using Pietro’s gluten free cheese tortellini, but my favourite is Olivieri 3 cheese tortellini)
- half of a standard bunch of kale.
- OPTIONAL: cooked meat substitute (or just meat) of choice (I’m using Yves vegetarian meatballs, quartered)
Spices:
- table salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste (for milder flavour I imagine aleppo pepper would also work well for this recipe
- smoked paprika, to taste
- cumin, to taste
- chilli powder, to taste
- sumac, to taste
- italian seasoning, to taste
- OPTIONAL:tabasco sauce, to taste
Recipe Note:
I do not include measurements for spices in cooking recipes as it is very subjective, what is bland to me could be over spiced for you or vice versa. I recommend all spices to be used to your own personal taste.
- Add butter to a medium sized soup pot over medium-high heat
2. Once the butter has melted, add your chopped onion, stirring occasionally until the white parts of the onion turns translucent.
3. This is the part where your recipe can differ from mine: spices! If you’re unfamiliar with the spices in the recipe, I suggest adding about 1 tsp of each spice to start, and you’ll have the opportunity to taste test and add more later. If you are familiar, follow your heart!
4. Turn the heat to medium and add your flour and mix in quickly to thicken the butter. make sure to mix in quickly and keep stirring to avoid toasting or burning the flour.
5. As soon as your flour is combined, add your crushed tomato and stir well.
6. Next, add your broth and stir in well.
7. Add your heavy cream and stir. Your soup may seem thin, don’t worry! It will thicken over time. Allow your soup to heat fully over the heat. Once your soup is nice and warm, taste test and adjust spices to taste.
8. Now we can add our kale! The kale does not need to be chopped, simply ripped away from the stem and into bite size pieces.
9. Reduce heat medium low. If you would like, this is where you should add your cooked meat/ meat substitute.
10. Add your cooked tortellini and stir all together. Let your soup simmer until your tortellini is heated all the way through, then serve. (TIP: to avoid too soft tortellini, thoroughly rinse your tortellini in cold water immediately after straining to stop the cooking process and prevent it from over cooking while simmering in the soup.
I hope you all enjoy this soup as much as I do. Thank you for reading and have good day! As usual, if you make it please leave a comment and tell me about it! ! I’d love to hear from you. Thank you friends!
Nutritional Information
Calories ≈ 370 kcal per serving
Carbs ≈ 27 g per serving
Fat ≈ 22 g per serving
Protein ≈ 11 g per serving
Note- this recipe makes four equal servings. nutritional information does not include any spices, as they are to taste. Also does not include anything labelled as optional. Nutrition information is an estimate, it will not be this exact number when you make it.
2 responses to “Cozy Tomato Kale Tortellini Soup”
yes i love sasha’s soup!!
writing this down immediatelyyy