This vegetarian-friendly dinner comes together in 20 minutes.
If you’re constantly on the prowl for one-pot meal recipes, you’re probably tired of throwing chicken into your slow cooker or are suffering from cauliflower fatigue. Fortunately, HGTV icon Joanna Gaines has a convenient tortellini soup recipe that doesn’t involve roasting, braising, the shredding of meat, or any sort of overnight marinating. In other words, this recipe is very easy.
We’ve previously celebrated Gaines’ recipes because they strike a balance between simple and creative. (If you’ve got a grocery store rotisserie chicken on your hands, for instance, she has some stellar advice.) We also love that she tends to rely on accessible ingredients that you can grab when quickly swinging by the grocery store after work — because no one wants to go 20 minutes out of their way to find one obscure herb.
The tortellini soup calls for a package of cheese tortellini — which you can find at virtually any major supermarket. After browning some basic aromatics that you probably have lying around your house, you throw the pasta, some canned ingredients, and broth into the pot. After simmering, you brighten up the dish with spinach, herbs, and lemon juice. Once everything’s warm, you can serve.
In case you haven’t noticed, the soup is incredibly customizable. If you’re meat-free, swap the chicken broth for a mushroom or vegetable stock. If you’re craving meat, browning some sausage before you add the broth should do the trick. And if you don’t love parsley and basil, you can play around with alternatives like sage, dill, chives, oregano, or thyme.
Since this dinner comes together quicker than your post-commute shower, you’ll have a whole night to indulge in self-care, TV, or some much-needed extra rest. On the other hand, if the soup rejuvenates you, Gaines also has a ranger cookie recipe that will make your kitchen smell like Betty Crocker’s dreamhouse.
Joanna Gaines Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, cut into medium dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) chicken broth
1 teaspoon (14 1/2-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (9-ounce) package cheese tortellini
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed well and drained
6 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 loaf French bread, for serving (optional)
Directions
In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until the onion is soft and tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the broth, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and bring to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and beans and cook until the tortellini are cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the spinach, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste and stir until the spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the soup.
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately with torn bread for dipping.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let the soup thaw before reheating.
