Every year when October rolls around, I beg my dad to make me his famous tortellini soup. It’s a simple recipe, but my dad’s homemade post-Thanksgiving turkey stock is what really makes it special. Dotted with vegetables and punctuated with gently floating tortellini, it’s my favourite fall dinner—warm, comforting, and delicious.

I’ve often tried to recreate my dad’s recipe and while it never quite lives up to his rendition, it’s still pretty tasty. It’s a perfect recipe to cook for a group of friends, your family, or your roommate who’s caught a midterm-season cold. Being a relatively simple dish, it’s also a great recipe for beginner cooks looking to improve their skills in the kitchen and expand their recipe repertoire.

Ultimately, this is the perfect recipe for when you want a home-cooked meal but don’t want to put in too much effort. My version includes a couple of shortcuts (store-bought chicken broth is the real time-saver), but (I hope) still delivers a tasty and cozy soup that’s perfect for chilly October nights.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• One small white onion, diced
• One carrot, diced
• One carton of low-sodium chicken broth
• One package of meat tortellini
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, to garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a pot on medium heat
2. Cook the onions with the oregano and basil until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes
3. Add the carrot and cook for 1-2 minutes
4. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil
5. Once boiling, add the tortellini and cook according to package instructions
6. In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, add in the frozen peas
7. Once the tortellini and peas are cooked, add salt and pepper to taste
8. Serve into bowls and top with freshly chopped parsley (serves 4)

Variations:

• You can substitute vegetable broth and cheese/vegetable tortellini to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan
• You can add your favourite vegetables to change up the soup (I think mushrooms are another great addition)
• If you want to really go crazy, you can use ravioli instead of tortellini

This soup is best enjoyed immediately, but also keeps well in the freezer. While it may be tempting to make a big batch to enjoy all week, this soup does not keep well in the fridge as the tortellini tend to become a bit mushy.