The fall season is fresh with produce in orange, red, and purple hues. It seems like anything with an orange tint reminds us of the fall and we go crazy the first few weeks in October when we start seeing pumpkin recipes pop up all over. Not only does a warm soup scream chilly weather and fall sweaters, but a warm pumpkin soup pretty much sums up Fall in a dish.
Tortellini has been a rediscovered favorite of mine as of late. It’s easy to throw together and I love to have it on hand for quick lunches and meals. It is so versatile and you can use it with pretty much anything. For this dish I used a chicken based tortellini but there are so many different varieties, I say choose one that you enjoy. I went with a chicken tortellini because it gave the soup dish an extra layer of flavor instead of just cheese. If you’re wanting the cheese flavor, I would sprinkle some goat or feta on top when serving.
Not only is this dish filled with vitamins A & C, the shredded chicken gives it a protein boost that most pumpkin soups are lacking. The base is actually a homemade tomato basil soup but if you are running low on time, I suggest using canned tomato with fresh basil or finding a shelf stable tomato basil soup (without a heaping of sodium). The tomato and pumpkin together create a nutrition packed soup, great for when the weather turns a bit chilly and your feeling a bit down.
When making this warm bowl of deliciousness, make it to your preference of thickness. The longer it sits and simmers, the thicker it will become. Furthermore, I cooked the tortellini in the soup, thus making it a bit thicker as well. If you like a thinner consistency soup, simply add more water or use broth instead.
Creamy Pumpkin Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 6 Large Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Dash Salt
- Dash Pepper
- Dash Dried Rosemary
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- 2 medium-sized Chicken Breasts
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1 can Pumpkin puree
- 1 cup Half and Half
- 2 cup water
- 1 package (4 cups) Tortellini of choice I used chicken
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary over the tomatoes. Roast for 15 minutes.
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While the tomatoes are roasting, begin cooking the chicken. In a large dutch oven, begin warming the olive oil over medium-low heat. Season the chicken breasts with lemon pepper seasoning and place in the dutch oven with the lid on to retain moisture. Flip the chicken consistently during the cooking process to prevent sticking. Once the chicken is cooked, shred into bite sized pieces and set aside, keeping the dutch oven heat on low.
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Using a hand held immersion blender, food processor, or vitamix; blend the tomatoes and basil leaves together until pureed. Pour the puree back into the dutch oven.
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Turning the heat up to medium-low, whisk in the can of pumpkin puree, half & half, and water until the consistency is smooth. Add the tortellini and the shredded chicken, let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
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Serve warm with feta cheese and fresh cracked black pepper sprinkled on top. The longer the soup sits and simmers, the thicker it will get.
This recipe is an original Healthy Chew recipe, all rights reserved.
All photos used were taken by and for The Healthy Chew, all rights reserved.
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