Tomato Soup with Tortellini & Kale
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
POUR SOME WINE AND BREAK OUT THE VINYL – THIS DISH TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO PREPARE AND TOTAL COOK TIME IS ABOUT 40 MINUTES.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
  • When I was a kid, the first cool chill in the air prompted my mom to make some homemade soup. We had all kinds, Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, minestrone, even Pasta E Fagioli. My mom loved soups and they went a long way in feeding a family of six, especially through the cold winters in Jersey. This tomato soup with Tortellini and kale is one of the last meals I prepared for my mom before she passed away. This recipe in particular is comfort food for me. It reminds me of the last few precious weeks we had together.
  • INGREDIENTS
  • • Olive Oil
  • • 2 onions, diced
  • • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • • 2 carrots, peeled cut into ½ thick disks
  • • 2 stalks of celery, cut into ½ thick slices
  • • 1 large fresh tomato, diced (Jersey tomato or beef steak is good!)
  • • 1 28 oz can of crushed stewed or diced tomatoes
  • • 4 cups of chicken broth or bone broth
  • • 4 cups of fresh kale* rough chopped
  • • ½ cup fresh parsley, rough chopped
  • • 16 oz of fresh tortellini
  • • 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
  • • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • *The kale and parsley came from our garden. You may opt for what looks good in yours or at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Sometimes I use spinach instead of kale – but the kale holds up in this hot dish, whereas spinach is more delicate.
  • SEASONING
  • • Salt & Pepper plus these dried herbs:
  • o 1 tbsp oregano
  • o 1 tbsp parsley
  • o 1 tbsp dill weed
  • o 1 tbsp chives
  • o ½ tbsp onion powder (not onion salt)
  • o ½ tbsp smoked paprika
  • *I love these flavors and use my palm as a measure = to 1 tbsp. I put them in a small dish and mix them up and use the mixture to season as I go.
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (about 3 spins around the pot, medium heat.) Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, fresh tomato, cook for about 5 minutes. Season with ½ of the seasoning while stirring – don’t forget the salt & pepper!
  2. Add the canned tomatoes and chicken broth, turn up the heat and bring to a simmer about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes.
  3. Add the rest of the dried seasoning.
  4. Add the mascarpone, stir until melted. The broth will achieve a silky richness – I love this, the texture of the broth is so beautiful and tasty too!
  5. Add the kale and parsley, stir
  6. Add ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  7. Add the fresh tortellini and cook to al dente (about 3-5 minutes). Taste the broth, now is the time to add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Serve in a soup bowl with fresh Parmesan to garnish.
Recipe by This Little Italian at https://thislittleitalian.com/tomato-soup-with-tortellini-kale/