I’m always on the lookout for new soups, especially recipes like this one that feature vegetables. This quick and easy Italian-inspired soup calls for store-bought cheese tortellini (or your favorite flavor) and other ingredients that can be kept on hand.

I followed the recipe except for sauteing some diced onion along with the carrots and celery. I also substituted broccoli for the zucchini and canned diced tomato (about 1/2 cup) for the fresh tomatoes. For protein, I added some diced cooked chicken. Garnish each serving with a dollop of pesto and some Parmesan cheese.

Tortellini and Vegetable Soup
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

For a traditional Italian version of this hearty vegetable soup, garnish each serving with a spoonful of store-bought pesto. The pesto adds herbaceous notes to the simple soup. Round out the meal with a loaf of crusty Italian or whole-grain bread.

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrots, celery and zucchini and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the tortellini and cook for 5 minutes, or according to the package instructions. Remove from the heat. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, One Pot, by Carrolyn Carreño (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Tags: broccoli, carrots, parmesan cheese, pesto, soup, tomatoes, tortellini, zucchini

If you’re looking for a twist on traditional chicken soup, then you should try this recipe for Chicken and Vegetable Chowder. It’s simple, easy to make and comforting.

For the blending of the chowder, I used an immersion blender (stick blender) instead of transferring the soup in batches to a blender. If you do use a regular blender, let the chowder cool off a bit before blending. Also, remember to only fill the blender about 1/3 full and hold the lid down tightly with a towel (this is to prevent hot soup from spraying all over you and your kitchen when you turn the blender on). I used whole milk for the chowder, but I’m sure 2% would work fine, too. I would definitely not use nonfat milk, though. Serve the chowder with crusty bread and a salad.  

Chicken & Vegetable Chowder
-recipe from The Big Book of Soups & Stews byMaryana Vollstedt

Pureed vegetables and rice are the thickening agents in this delicious soup. It is made without cream but is still rich tasting. This will be a family favorite. Serves 4-6.

1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium russet potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cubed
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup buttermilk or milk
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pot over high heat, bring vegetables, garlic, rice, and 3 cups of the stock to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables and rice are tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer in batches to a food processor or blender and blend the soup until slightly chunky. Return to pot. Stir in remaining 1 cup stock, buttermilk or milk, chicken, cheese, salt, thyme and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, until cheese melts and flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Tags: carrots, Chicken, Chicken and Vegetable Chowder, potatoes, rice

I frequently make soups and stews throughout the Autumn and Winter months. I love a steaming bowl of hot soup when it’s cold outside. In fact, I think soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods! I found this recipe for Tortellini Soup with Carrots, Peas & Leeks in one of my Fine Cooking magazines. I made a few slight changes but nothing that altered the finished soup significantly. I decided to use a medium-size onion (chopped) instead of the leeks because that’s what I had on hand. I wanted more veggies in the soup so I chopped 2 whole carrots and 1 stalk of celery, and added a bit more butter for sauteeing because I added more veggies. I let the veggies simmer for about 10 minutes longer than the recipe stated before adding the tortellini because the garlic I used was too pungent and needed to cook a bit longer. The package of cheese tortellini I used was 10 ounces so I added a cup or so more broth to the pot so the soup wouldn’t get too thick. For a heartier version, it’s also really good with Italian sausage. Just brown the sausage in a pan and add it to the soup pot when you add the broth. It’s a perfect weeknight meal in minutes!

Tortellini Soup with Carrots, Peas & Leeks
by Joanne Smart – Fine Cooking magazine
Serves four.

2 medium leeks (12 oz. untrimmed)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 Tbs.)
1/2 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced (2 Tbs.)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups low-salt canned chicken broth
8 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Trim the roots and dark green leaves from the leeks. Slice the white and light green part in half lengthwise and then slice the halves thinly crosswise. Rinse well and drain.

Melt the butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks, and carrot. Season with a couple pinches of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (It’s fine if the vegetables brown lightly.) Stir in 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook for about 20 seconds, then add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the peas. Continue to simmer until the tortellini are cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion the soup into warm bowls, top each with some of the cheese, and serve.

Make Ahead Tips:
You can make most of the soup ahead, but don’t add the tortellini until you’re ready to eat or they’ll become mushy.

Tags: carrots, Soup/Stew, tortellini

Carrots. We all know they’re orange, good for you and bunnies like ‘em. They’re also loaded with vitamins that help prevent cancer and promote good vision (especially night vision). I read on wikipedia.com that the world’s largest carrot was grown in Alaska in 1998; it weighed 19 pounds. Good grief…that’s quite a carrot!

Speaking of carrots, I discovered this recipe for Roasted Carrot Soup a few years ago when I was researching soup recipes. The color of the soup is a vibrant orange and makes quite a visual statement. Roasting the carrots is easy and it gives the soup a rich flavor. I usually omit the fresh ginger, although I’m sure it’s good with it. One time I accidentally left the carrots in the oven too long and they got a little burnt on the bottom. I remedied the situation by cutting the scorched part off each carrot and proceeded with the recipe (using a little less broth to account for a little less carrot being used).

It’s an easy recipe to double…just make sure that the carrots are in a single layer when roasting (and you may need to increase the roasting time a bit). You could easily make this a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.  If puréeing the soup when it’s hot, hold your blender lid down tightly with a kitchen towel like the recipe suggests. I sprayed myself and my kitchen once with hot carrot soup because I wasn’t holding the blender lid firmly enough. Yes, it was as exciting as it sounds. Letting the soup cool before blending or using a hand-held blender (immersion blender) makes this task easier.

Roasted Carrot Soup
by Ruth Lively – Fine Cooking Magazine
 
A tablespoon of ginger gives a nice, throat-warming heat to this soup, which tastes best if it sits in the fridge several hours or overnight.
Serves four. Yields about 1 quart.

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, cut into medium dice (to yield about 3/4 cup)
1 large rib celery, cut into medium dice (to yield about 1/2  cup)
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger (from about 1/2-inch piece, peeled)
2 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
Chopped fresh chives or chervil for garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the carrots in a medium baking dish (11×7-inch is a good size, or any dish that will hold the carrots in a single layer without touching) and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss them to coat well and roast, stirring once halfway through roasting, until they’re tender, blistered, and lightly browned in a few places, about 1 hour.

Melt the butter in a medium (at least 3-quart) heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s translucent and fragrant, 2 to 3 min. Stir in the celery and ginger and cook until the celery softens a bit and the onions start to brown, 4 to 5 min. Add the roasted carrots, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and cover. Cook at a lively simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 45 min. Turn off the heat and let the liquid cool somewhat (or completely).

Purée the soup in a blender in batches, never filling the blender more than a third full, and bearing down firmly on the towel-covered lid so the soup doesn’t come flying out. If serving immediately, return the soup to the pot and reheat; garnish with the chives or chervil if you like. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to five days; reheat gently and taste for salt before serving.

Tags: carrots, Soup/Stew