This recipe for minestrone soup has been in our winter rotation for almost a decade. Minestrone is something that we usually wouldn’t order at a restaurant because quite frankly, we are busy eating pasta and other Italian dishes we crave. We love to make this soup at home because we can pack it with vegetables and rich herby flavors. If we are watching our food choices, we usually make this soup with butternut squash. But to make it a little more kid friendly (and frankly more crowd pleasing for everyone) we have chosen to add tortellini. Who can say no to cheesy pasta being added to everything? The tortellini adds richness and decadence to the soup and makes it a favorite for everyone in the family.
Tortellini Minestrone
Our favorite recipe for minestrone, made kid friendly with cheesy tortellini!
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 small white onion, small dice
- 2 stalks celery, small dice
- 2 large carrots, peeled and small dice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 24 oz chicken stock
- 3 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 package pre-made cheese tortellini (about 16 oz)
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- sliced basil, for garnish
Directions
- Heat a large Dutch oven soup pot over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic to the pot; saute for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent and fragrant. Add the rosemary, thyme, and cannellini beans; sauté another 3-4 minutes or until the rosemary and thyme are fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken stock to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and add the tortellini. Cover and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the tortellini is cooked through. Uncover and add the spinach to the pot. Stir it around and cook a few minutes for it to wilt.
- Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in large bowls with a bit of grated parmesan cheese and some fresh basil.
TUCK & TATE 