Sarah's Tortellini and Swiss Chard Soup

Swiss Chard is a fantastic and very healthy addition to soup. Fresh rosemary is essential to the flavor and texture of the broth, do not use dried rosemary. Fortunately fresh rosemary is easy to find in the store if you don't have it in your garden. Sarah has also made this lovely soup with Oyster and Shitake mushrooms, so while you should play with the ingredients a bit for this recipe, remember fresh is always best!

The nutrition facts for this beautiful soup are at Calorie Count!

Sarah's Soup

Tortellini and Swiss Chard Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 T fresh rosemary, chopped fine

1 tsp salt (optional and not included in the nutrition facts)

1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 

1 lb Swiss chard***, sliced in ribbons (red, yellow, or white)

10 cups vegetable broth (or vegetable bouillon cubes and 10 cups water)

1 lb fresh tortellini, cheese or mushroom (fresh, not frozen)

3-4 fresh on the vine tomatoes chopped (or one 15 ounce can diced tomatoes)

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 cup pecorino Romano cheese (optional as garnish and not included in calorie count)

sprigs of fresh rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Over medium heat in a large pot, heat olive oil, the crushed red pepper, rosemary, salt, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until the onions are clear, but not brown. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about five minutes or until the mushrooms lose their liquid.

Add the Swiss chard and cook until the chard starts to wilt, about three or four minutes.

Add the vegetable broth (or water and bouillon cubes) and bring just to a boil. Add the fresh tortellini and simmer 2 minutes. Then add the canned tomatoes and reduce heat and simmer for eight-ten minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Ladle into deep soup bowls and garnish with pecorino Romano and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Enjoy! 

Notes:

***For those unfamiliar with Swiss Chard, please see The World's Healthiest Foods Swiss Chard fact sheet on this extraordinarily nutritious vegetable - from selection to preparation and well beyond with fantastic nutrition charts. If you are prone to kidney stones, pay particular attention to the section that shows how you can eat Swiss Chard and reduce it's natural oxalates.