Okay, here we go. Let me tell you about my little adventure with rau’s tortellini soup carbs!
So, it all started last week. I was craving something warm and comforting. You know, one of those nights where you just want to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of something delicious. I remembered seeing a recipe for tortellini soup somewhere, and I thought, “Hey, why not give it a shot?” Plus, I had some leftover cheese tortellini in the freezer that needed using up. Score!
First things first, I rummaged through my fridge and pantry. I grabbed some carrots, celery, and an onion – the holy trinity for a good soup base, right? Chopped those up, not too fancy, just small enough to cook evenly. Then I sautéed them in a little olive oil in my big soup pot. Gotta get those veggies nice and soft before adding the liquids. I sweated them down for maybe, like, 8-10 minutes, until the onions were translucent.
Next up, I tossed in some minced garlic. You gotta be careful with garlic, though. You don’t want it to burn! I cooked it for just a minute or so, until it was fragrant. Then, in went a can of crushed tomatoes and a carton of chicken broth. I stirred everything together and brought it to a simmer. At this point, I added some Italian seasoning, a pinch of red pepper flakes (for a little kick!), and some salt and pepper. Always taste as you go and adjust the seasoning to your liking!
Now, here’s where things got interesting. I let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, just to let all the flavors meld together. While it was simmering, I started thinking about the carbs. I mean, tortellini is basically pasta, right? And pasta = carbs. I wasn’t necessarily trying to avoid carbs, but I was curious about how many were actually in this soup. A quick Google search told me that cheese tortellini can be pretty carb-heavy, especially if you’re eating a big portion. Oops!
Anyway, after the soup had simmered for a bit, I added the frozen tortellini. I cooked it according to the package directions, which was only a few minutes. You don’t want to overcook the tortellini, or it’ll get mushy. Nobody wants mushy tortellini! Once the tortellini was cooked through, I stirred in a handful of chopped fresh spinach. Just wilted it for a minute or two, until it was nice and bright green.
Finally, it was time to eat! I ladled the soup into a big bowl and topped it with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Man, it smelled amazing! And it tasted even better. The soup was warm, comforting, and packed with flavor. The tortellini was tender and cheesy, and the spinach added a nice freshness. As for the carbs? Well, I decided not to worry about them too much. I mean, a little bit of pasta never hurt anyone, right?
Here’s the breakdown:
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, onion, garlic
- Liquids: Crushed tomatoes, chicken broth
- Pasta: Cheese tortellini (the carb culprit!)
- Greens: Spinach
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper
Overall, it was a pretty successful soup experiment. It was easy to make, it tasted great, and it was perfect for a chilly evening. Would I make it again? Absolutely! Maybe next time I’ll try using whole wheat tortellini to up the fiber content a bit. And maybe I’ll add some grilled chicken for extra protein. But for now, I’m happy with my carb-loaded tortellini soup. Sometimes you just gotta treat yourself, right?
