lemon pesto soup with chicken tortelloni.

Do you ever just feel really lazy? Welcome to the end of my December. I think my body is proactively preparing me for some overly ambitious New Years resolution I haven’t decided on yet…I literally took two naps today. Maybe I’m just still recovering from my glutinous trip to Vegas? PS: I definitely passed my Level I WSET test at UNLV! Onto Level II in Napa…

In my unambitious state I haven’t done any grocery shopping, which means the inside of my refrigerator looks like the premise for an episode of a Food Network Chopped challenge. So for everyone who has requested a quick and easy recipe - here you go! It’s low-stress, low mess, and hits the spot when you’re not looking for something super heavy but still want comforting flavor.

The only caveat to this soup is that because it contains tortellini, I recommend making this right before you eat it - and it’s not a great soup to eat leftover because the tortellini will get too soft (which is why I kept the serving size of the recipe smaller).

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Let’s talk about tortelloni. No, I’d never force you to make it yourself. Who is that ambitious during holiday? This recipe features the store bought stuff from the refrigerated fresh pasta section of your grocery store. I know you can find these from various brands in various flavors across the country in both non-gourmet and speciality grocery stores. I used Buitoni’s roasted garlic chicken tortelloni for this one because I wanted a little protein, but if you prefer cheese and spinach tortellini - those flavors will work great too. If you live in the Bay Area, The Pasta Shop’s Wild Mushroom Tortelloni is also an excellent vegetarian alternative.

What’s the difference between tortellini and tortelloni? Tortellini is smaller (about the size of a thumb nail) and Tortelloni is larger (about the size of a quarter). You’re welcome.

The base of this soup isn’t as fragrant as my typical recipes, but we’ve still got a lot of flavor working. The onion and carrot will sauteé in your dutch oven with a few ripe lemon slices, a big sprig of oregano, one peeled clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. I used a quick splash of white wine to add a little depth of flavor to the compliment the lemon. When choosing a wine, pick a dry white wine that specifically has citrus notes. A Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris/Grigio is going to be the best match and easy to find at any price point. The typical flavors that oak from the aging process of most Chardonnays is going to bring too much softness and confusion to your palate. If you only have a Chardonnay, just skip the wine step here. It’s going to do weird things to the flavors.

After the wine cooks down, remove the garlic clove and the oregano. Stir in the chicken broth and the pesto. You can make your own pesto, or use the store bought pesto. Because I was having a lazy day and this recipe doesn’t call for a ton of pesto, I used the Three Bridges superfood pesto from my local grocer. After the pesto has been added, you’ll add a large handful of chiffonade cut spinach and a parmesan rind while the soup’s flavors meld over a low simmer. The parmesan rind is one of my favorite secret weapons for most sauces and soups. It provides a great depth of flavor without adding a thick creaminess. If you’re super sensitive to dairy - this is also a really helpful trick for you!

When you’re ready to serve, add the tortelloni for the cook time designated on it’s packaging. You do not need to cook the tortelloni separately, it can slowly cook in your soup. While it’s cooking, do a quick taste test of the broth. Are you vibing with it? I know that strong lemon flavor isn’t for everyone. So, if you want to adjust the flavor to be more chicken-forward: consider adding some rotisserie chicken or a spoonful of chicken bouillon. If you want to adjust the flavor to be more pesto-forward: add another tablespoon of pesto. This soup is yours, so make it your own!

Recipe

Lemon Pesto Soup
With Garlic Chicken Tortellini

Servings: 4 | Prep time: 10 min | Cook time : 25 min

Recommended Wine Pairing

Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

INGREDIENTS

1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced in thin rounds
4-6 slices of a ripe lemon, seeds removed
1 sprig of fresh oregano
1 peeled garlic clove
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. water
3 tbsp. store-bought pesto
1/2 c. baby spinach, chiffonade cut
1 parmesan rind
1 package of your favorite store-bought tortellini (I used Bouitni Chicken & Roasted Garlic tortelloni)
Kosher salt + black pepper for seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a dutch oven on medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add: diced onion, sliced carrot rounds, lemon slices, garlic clove, and oregano sprig to the dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper.
Stirring frequently, sauteé for 5-7 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the carrot begins to get fork tender.
Add the dry white wine to the dutch oven. Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat until the wine cooks down, stirring frequently.
Remove the oregano sprig and garlic clove from the dutch oven after the wine cooks down.

Lower the heat and stir in chicken stock, water, pesto, spinach, and parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste the broth and determine if you need to adjust the flavors by adding anything (see the blog post above for my tips on this).
Add the tortelloni to the soup and let simmer for the cook time designated on it’s package.
Serve with topped with grated parmesan cheese and fresh oregano and enjoy!