Roasted Red Pepper and Tortellini Soup

Normally this time of year I would be cuddling up in front of the wood stove in the evenings. Armed with my favorite cup of tea and either a good book or a knitting project, that is how I relax at the end of the day. Sadly, our January here in Oregon has looked more like Spring.

I know, if you are currently snowed in, you have my sympathies. Feel free to ship a little of that to the West Coast.

I would love a little cold weather around here, a little snow on our mountains and a reason to break out my favorite soup recipes.

Well, despite the sunny warm afternoons, I am still determined to get my soup on. This week I wanted to dive right into a vibrant and flavorful Roasted Red Pepper and Tortellini Soup.

It is pretty simple, but ends up making a wonderful dinner soup.

The base is a simple roasted red pepper pureed soup.

Start with diced onion, carrot and garlic.

Then bring in the drained roasted red peppers, chicken stock, a bay leaf and a little salt and pepper. I like to save the rinds from my Parmesan cheese... and those may have jumped in the pot, too.

Really, who wouldn't want in on this little flavor party?

Once everything is softened and warmed through, I put it all through the blender. Don't forget to snag that bay leaf and anything left of the rinds.

Then I add more chicken stock, if needed, dump in the frozen tortellini and the baby spinach to wilt.

Then grab your spoons, because soups on!

Roasted Red Pepper and Tortellini Soup

You Will Need:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 16 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained
• Parmesan rinds *optional
• 2 c. packed baby spinach
• 2 c. frozen or fresh cheese tortellini
• Parmesan cheese to garnish
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by sauteing the onions and carrots in butter in your soup pot. When the onions are translucent, add the minced garlic and saute for another minute. Add the stock, bay leaf, red peppers and optional Parmesan rinds. Let the soup come up to a simmer, turn off the heat.

Transfer the soup to a blender and puree. Return the puree to your soup pot and add additional chicken stock, if necessary, to thin out your soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Bring the pot back up to a simmer and add the spinach and cheese tortellini. Simmer until the tortellini is done (as directed by the package) and the spinach is wilted.

Enjoy! 

What is your favorite Winter soup?