Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

Lunch

When my family tried this soup, they all had to have seconds, and my husband is happy anytime I put it on the table. Sometimes I include cooked, crumbled bacon and serve it with mozzarella cheese.

Average Rating: 5

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Cook: 6-1/4 hours
YIELD: 18 servings (4-1/2 quarts).

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 carton (32 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
3 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
Shredded Parmesan cheese and minced fresh basil

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 5-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, broth, sugar, basil and bay leaf. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender, 6-7 hours.
2. Stir in tortellini. Cook, covered, on high 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Serve with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Freeze option:
Before stirring in half-and-half, cool soup and freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add half-and-half as directed.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 214 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 569mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 9g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges:
2 starch, 1 fat.