REV: Tortellini, White Bean, and Spinach Soup

[patsyk]

Wonderful Weeknight Soup!!! This is from CL Nov/Dec 1997. Tons of wonderful veggie ingredients (no chicken broth for those of you who shun meats or meat-products). Very quick and easy to put together. My notes for the next time I make this are below.

Here's the recipe for anyone interested:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Tortellini, White Bean, and Spinach Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:45
Categories : Healthy And Hearty Main Dish
Main Dishes Make-Again
Pasta Soups & Stews
Vegetarian

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic -- minced
2 cups spinach -- coarsely chopped
2/3 cup water
16 ounces navy beans -- drained
14 1/2 ounces vegetable broth
14 1/2 Ounces no-salt-added whole tomatoes -- undrained and chopped
14 1/2 ounces artichoke hearts -- quartered
9 ounces cheese tortellini -- uncooked
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, seasoning, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add spinach and next 5 ingredients (spinach through artichokes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Add tortellini; cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese.


Source:
"Cooking Light- 11/01/97"

NOTES : I used frozen spinach rather than fresh and it worked out fine. Also only used about 1 cup of chopped onion.

Next time, to make it more like a soup rather than a stew, double the liquid and increase the Italian seasonings.

[valchemist]

this sounds really yummy. I will put it on my list to try. did you just use one 10 oz box of frozen spinach?

[aggie94]

Thanks, Patsy! I've been on a major soup/stew kick lately, and this looks perfect!!

One question, out of curiosity: Does anyone actually buy canned whole tomatoes and then chop them up? If you're buying canned anyway, why not just buy the already diced ones?

[patsyk]

Yes, I used the 10 oz package of the frozen spinach and it worked just fine... as for the can of whole tomaotes... well, I forgot to mention that I used a can of diced... who needs extra work?

[valchemist]

Originally posted by aggie94
Thanks, Patsy! I've been on a major soup/stew kick lately, and this looks perfect!!

One question, out of curiosity: Does anyone actually buy canned whole tomatoes and then chop them up? If you're buying canned anyway, why not just buy the already diced ones?

I have ALWAYS wondered this. Even when I do chop up the whole tomatoes as suggested, I seem to like the diced ones better.

[JulieM]

Patsy, do you think it would be good with chopped or shredded chicken added?

[karen w]

I love this soup, too! Whenever I make it, I double the broth and canned tomatoes, increase the seasoning, but leave the rest the same to make it more soup-like. If you like it really thick, leave it just as written. Either way, very tasty and easy to throw together. Thanks for reminding me about this one. I have not made it for awhile!

Karen

[patsyk]

Originally posted by JulieM
Patsy, do you think it would be good with chopped or shredded chicken added?

Julie - I think you could do that... but, I would definitely increase the liquids if you do... simply because this is a very thick soup already and adding something else might soak what's left of the broth.

If you try it, let me know how you like it with the chicken and any other changes you make to it... I love to hear how everyone else makes a recipe because I get good ideas for the next time I make something!

Patsy

[TLee4]

I made this last night. As others have said, it is very quick to throw together (especially since I had done the chopping earlier in the day). The store was out of veg. broth, so I used chicken broth and it was fine. I used the fresh spinach since I had some that needed to be used up. I will definitely make this again. (And it was a nice change from the Christmas cookies that I am subsisting on...!)

Terri