tomato, basil & spinach soup with cheese tortellini (and bat croutons)
We made double the amount below and it was WAY too much soup, even for a family of 5-ish. With that said, you could certainly double the ingredients below and have enough to feed a very big crowd. Sun-dried tomatoes add an earthy, sweet taste to the soup without having to use the oven as a first step.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 48-ounce can of whole tomatoes (from San Marzano if possible)
- 1 48-ounce carton of low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (we used dried, in a bag but oil-packed would work too)
- 1 cup organic spinach (frozen or fresh)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 package (about 2 cups) fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (RESERVED)
- (optional) 2/3 cup Greek yogurt (RESERVED)
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, sautee onions in the oil over medium-low heat, until soft about 10 minutes. Add everything else EXCEPT the tortellini and yogurt and bring to a boil. Turn to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Use a hand-held emersion blender or allow to cool a few minutes before pouring into a food processor. Blend until the soup is uniform but still thick. (You’ll see flecks of green from the basil and spinach and the rest will have a very thick texture.)
- Pour the soup back in the pot (if you used a food processor) and bring back to high heat. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions MINUS one minute. If you’re using the yogurt, spoon it in after soup is off the heat. Or, add a dollop to the bottom of each person’s bowl for a creamy surprise.