Early Dinner Tortellini Soup Cups

Ingredients

Plan early dinner tortellini soup cups around serves 4 and about 25 minutes.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan, for serving

How to Make It

When making early dinner tortellini soup cups, keep one plain portion possible until everyone has accepted dinner.

• Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and cook the onion 3 minutes until soft.
• Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes, add the Italian seasoning and salt, and bring to a boil.
• Add the tortellini and frozen vegetables; simmer 7 to 9 minutes until the tortellini are tender.
• Stir in the spinach and cook 1 minute until wilted, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• Ladle into cups or mugs and top with Parmesan.

Timing Before Practice

Start about 30 minutes before you leave; the broth does most of the work while you set the table.

• T-minus 30: soften the onion and garlic, then add broth
• T-minus 18: drop in the tortellini and vegetables
• T-minus 5: stir in spinach, ladle, and serve

Make It Ahead or Save Leftovers

This soup is great in a thermos, which keeps a warm dinner ready in the car.

• Fill a preheated thermos so soup stays hot until practice ends
• Cook tortellini just shy of done if you plan to reheat
• Add a splash of broth when reheating since pasta drinks it up
• Serve with: a crusty roll, a handful of grapes

Parent Tip

Preheat the thermos with boiling water for two minutes, then dump it and fill with hot soup.