Creamy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion ($0.70)
• 2 carrots ($0.20)
• 2 ribs celery ($0.20)
• 4 garlic cloves ($0.16)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.36)
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes ((one can) $1.67 )
• 1½ tsp Italian seasoning ($0.15*)
• 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52)
• 19 oz. cheese tortellini (frozen, $2.98**)
• ½ cup heavy cream ($0.82*** )
• 4 oz. fresh spinach ($1.20****)
• ¾ tsp salt ($0.04)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)

Steps

1. 1

   Dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to a large soup pot along with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions soften (about 5 minutes).

2. 2

   Add the tomato paste and continue to stir and cook over medium heat for about three minutes more.

3. 3

   Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine and dissolve any tomato paste off the bottom of the pot.

4. 4

   Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup up to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. 5

   Add the frozen tortellini to the soup and boil for about 3 minutes, or the recommended time on the package needed to cook the tortellini.

6. 6

   Turn the heat off. Stir the heavy cream into the soup. Stir the fresh spinach into the soup until wilted.

7. 7

   Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste (we added about ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper).