Simple tortellini soup

Christmas is almost here so we'll take a break from posting for a while. This year, my parents are visiting us instead of the other way around, and for the first time I get to be the host and cook lots of delicious things for them, most of them quite different from our usual Holiday tradition. Of course the mentioned delicacies will find their way on the blog eventually (in the following weeks / months)... but until then, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and leave you in the company of a warm soup perfect for this time of the year. :)


This is a hearty-tasting (although light) and warming soup perfect as a cold weather comfort-food. We're fans of filled pasta in almost every form and this rich-tasting broth full of veggies (carrot, parsley root, fresh mushrooms etc) and herbs seems one of the best fitted frames for the tortellini. 
Serve it with some grated Parmesan on top if you'd like, but it's delicious enough without it too. 


Last year: Simple blackberry-almond breakfast treat and Italian orrecchiete with Parmesan cream, bell peppers and olives.



Ingredients (serves 2-4):

• 1 small onion (shallot)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 100 ml tomato sauce (half a regular jar or can)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 250 g tortellini (fresh or frozen, with the filling of your choice)
• 150 g fresh mushrooms
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small parsley root (can be replaced with parsnip)
• 1 tablespoon dried or fresh herbs (Italian style: thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano etc)
• grated Parmesan for sprinkling on top when serving (optional)

Prepare your main ingredients:

Mince the shallot and garlic cloves and fry them in the olive oil on low heat. Use the pot in which you will also make the soup to make your life easier :)

Meanwhile, chop up the roots:

When the onion and garlic are fried, add the chopped roots, soup stock and tomato sauce to the pot and stir. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer while you go on:

Clean and chop up the mushrooms. Add them too, along with the herbs:

Mix again, then add the tortellini:

Let the soup boil for as much as the tortellini need (according to package instructions), then take off the heat, transfer to serving bowls and dig in :)