Hearty Tortellini Soup

By Gazelle

Hearty tortellini soup with chickpeas and kale makes for a warm and healthy supper. Serve with some crusty bread and butter.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion, about 1 large
• 2 cups chopped fennel bulb, about 1 large
• 1/4 cup minced fresh garlic
• 2 (8-ounce) packages sliced cremini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
• 8 cups unsalted vegetable stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 (15-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (15-ounce) cans unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups stemmed, chopped curly kale
• 1 1/2 (9-ounce) packages whole-wheat 3-cheese tortellini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and mushrooms; cook 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add stock, water, salt and pepper, fire roasted diced tomatoes and chickpeas; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in kale. Add tortellini. Cook 8 minutes or until tortellini are done.

Remove pan from heat; stir in vinegar. Divide soup among 12 bowls; sprinkle with parsley.

HOW-TO FREEZE: Cool soup completely. Once cool, add tortellini. Freeze flat in a large ziplock freezer bag for up to 2 months. THAW: Microwave soup in bag at MEDIUM (50% power) for 8 minutes or until pliable. REHEAT: Pour soup into a large Dutch oven; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 25 minutes or until tortellini are done. Stir in red wine vinegar. Top with parsley.