Easy Tortellini Soup: A Healthy Meal in Minutes

Do you crave soup as much as I do this time of year?  If it's cold outside, I can't wait to get my hands around a steaming cup of soup.  This is an easy tortellini soup that's super tasty you can make in 20 minutes and it's healthy too! 

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That's why this is my #1 go to soup right now.  You can whip this baby up and start sipping on it in no time! 

How to Make this Easy Tortellini Soup in 20 minutes

• Dice an onion and sweat it in a soup pot along with 2 minced garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons oil over low heat.
• Add 8 oz turkey sausage and brown it with the onion and garlic.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 can of diced tomatoes, and 1 package of frozen spinach and add it to the turkey mixture in the soup pot.
• Deglaze the bottom of the pot with 12 cups chicken broth.
• Bring to a simmer and add 16 oz fresh tortellini.
• Wait 10 minutes and ladle into soup bowls.
• Top with a squeeze of lemon and parmesan cheese.

What does Deglaze mean?

When you brown something in a pan or in this case a pot, a dark golden brown (and very delicious!) residue glaze is left on the bottom of the pan.  This residue is called fond and it is intensely flavorful.

To deglaze your pan, add at least a cup or more of liquid (like broth or wine), turn up the heat and work the glaze off the bottom with a wooden spoon.  This will kick the flavors up a notch of whatever you are making.

Can you Freeze Tortellini Soup?

YES!  If you've got leftovers, go ahead and freeze it in zip lock bags made for freezing.  Label the bag with the name of the soup and the day you're freezing it.  Label the bag and lay it flat in the freezer.  After it's frozen, you can keep it flat and stack more, or turn it up on it's spine and turn your freezer into a meal library!   I know, I know... I always think I'm going to remember what's in the bag too.  I never do.  Then I'm playing the "What's that in my freezer" game.  Believe me it's no fun pulling out a tub of chocolate frosting out only to find out at the last minute it's liver pate! Label - Label - Label! When you're ready for a soup night, thaw it out under running water.  Then put it on low in your crock pot and it will be ready and waiting for you when you get home from work.   Plus, your home will smell amazing!  Better yet, thaw it out under running water enough to get it out of the ziplock bag, pour into bowls and nuke it in the microwave.  DING!  You've got dinner in less than 10 minutes!  For this soup, it's best to freeze it without the tortellini.  When you're ready to have it again, thaw the soup, bring it to a simmer, add the tortellini and let it simmer until the pasta is done.  

Easy Tortellini Soup Variations

• Don't add the tortellini and it's low carb and gluten free
• Use pork sausage instead of turkey sausage
• Replace the can of tomatoes with 2 fresh diced tomatoes
• Try fire roasted canned tomatoes
• Kick up its Italian flare by adding 1  tablespoon of Italian seasoning while browning the sausage
• Add some red pepper flakes to give it some spicy heat

This quick and easy tortellini soup is our son, Carver's, favorite.  Our girls, Alexandria and Brianna's, favorite is the Chicken Tortilla Soup, mine would have to be Frazer's Tomato Cheddar Soup, and you know, I don't know what Jerry's favorite is.  I'll have to ask him tonight.