Quick and easy turkey and tortellini vegetable soup recipe
Ever since I bought, fell in love with, and ultimately abandoned my copy of The China Moon Cookbook, I've disliked recipes that begin -- as so many in that book did -- by instructing you to make several other components before you can even begin to work on the recipe at hand. And yet, this turkey and tortellini soup recipe does something similar. If you're lucky to have a friend like my friend Beverly, who brought us a delicious turkey vegetable soup last week, you're all set, but a purchased chicken or turkey noodle soup from the soup bar or deli department of a good market also makes a perfect jumping-off point. Bulk it up with purchased rotisserie turkey (or chicken) breast and cheese tortellini, add some vegetables, toss in a few red pepper flakes, and taste the broth before you add salt. Quick and easy, and a simple soup morphs into a substantial main course.
Quick and easy turkey and tortellini vegetable soup
Serves 6.
Ingredients
6 cups turkey (or chicken) noodle soup, any type, homemade or store-bought
1 carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into large chunks
1/2 cup diced rotisserie turkey (or chicken) breast
2 tsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup dried tortellini
Pinch of mild red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a 4- or 5-quart sauce pan or Dutch oven, bring the soup to a boil. Add carrot and celery chunks, and and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the turkey breast, parsley, tortellini and red pepper flakes, and when the soup returns to the boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the tortellini are cooked through. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Having filled pasta in the freezer has been a meal base for me, especially during a time when I didn't want to cook but did want to eat at home. Good ravioli or quality ramen packets, frozen veg cooked in the boiling pasta water, sauce or broth... my no-brainer collection. With those and microwaved sweet potatoes (with toppings) I (and my daughter) got by.
Susan, one of my favorite things to keep in the freezer is Chinese dumplings. They're great for soup or as a meal on their own. I always have tortellini on hand, too.
I know what I'm having for dinner. ;-)
I am a "Soup Chick" myself -- I don't wait for it to be winter I love soup year-around:)
Great simmering soups! !this is my first visit and you have a great blog.