This version of my old favorite, cream of tomato, is much more appealing to adult tastes. It actually has discernable hunks of interesting things swimming around in the creamy tomato base. There’s even a modified version of the grilled cheese sandwich that accompanied the original, in the form of cheese tortellini.

Bright green spinach vies for position with cheery red tomato chunks. The creamy texture that feels so amazing in your mouth is created by a small amount of whipping cream or Greek yogurt. But all it takes is one spoonful to transport me right back to that eerily quiet table at lunch time, where you could have heard a pin drop as we ate in total silence.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

¼ cup flour (rice flour for gluten free)

3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

8 ounces cheese tortellini (gluten free for gluten free)

½ cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) cheese, grated

10 ounces spinach, coarsely chopped

½ cup heavy/whipping cream or Greek yogurt

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup basil, chopped (optional)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the flour and cook for another minute.

Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and tortellini, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the tortellini is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the parmesan, let it melt, add the spinach, let it wilt, add the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat before adding the basil.

Option: Replace the fresh basil with 2 tablespoons basil pesto.

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Quick Tip:  To add to the smooth mouthfeel of this of this soup, you can puree some of the diced tomatoes, adding body to the soup without changing the overall texture. By pureeing half of them, you will get both a smooth texture and the full impact of the tomato taste.

Recipe and image courtesy of Kevin at Closet Cooking