Tortellini Soup

Even though it's starting to look like spring, I still like to make big pots of soup.

1 medium onion, diced
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 Tbsp. sundried tomato paste (or regular tomato paste)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
1 small package any flavor fresh tortellini OR 2/3 bag dried tortellini
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Saute onion, carrots, and celery (seasoned generously with salt and pepper) in butter or olive oil until softened. Add tomato paste and cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth or stock, bringing to a boil. Boil 5-7 minutes, then if using dried tortellini, add it in and simmer an additional 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Fresh tortellini cooks much faster, so wait until the carrots and celery are nearly tender before adding the fresh tortellini and simmering for 3-4 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

This is also an easy recipe to change--I've added a diced potato (cooked like the carrots, onion, and celery), a can of drained and rinsed beans, a can of diced tomatoes, and I've even made little meatballs and cooked them in the soup alongside the tortellini.