Hearty Italian Tortellini Soup

Adapted from allrecipes.com

This soup is so hearty and delicious.  And easy too!  It's great on a cold winter's night with a piece of crusty bread to go alongside it.  Or, in this case, it makes a nice meal for a sick husband. 

Ingredients

4 carrots, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Black pepper, to taste

6-8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 medium zucchini, sliced into medium-thick quarters

1 1/2 cups frozen cheese-filled tortellini

1 (15 ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Place the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, black pepper and 2 cups of the broth in a 6-quart saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the remaining broth, zucchini, and beans. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the tortellini and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the tortellini is tender. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Yields: 4-6 servings.

Note: cooked cubed chicken makes a nice addition.  If you are planning on having leftovers, keep some extra broth on hand, as the tortellini tends to soak up the broth as they sit in it.