This soup is a meal in itself, lots of vegetables, cannellini beans in a delicious broth with mini meatballs and cheese tortellini. Simple to make, freezes beautifully if you have leftovers. Meatballs are optional for a vegetarian soup. Parm rinds bring a wonderful flavor to this soup, save your rinds or check with your cheese monger to see if they sell them and sometimes even your grocer might. Add whatever vegetables you like there is no wrong way to make this. Here’s how to make it:

Tortellini vegetable soup

2 carrots peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1-2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed

2 cups butternut squash cut into bite size pieces

1 rind parmigiano reggiano

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

Handfull cherry tomatoes cut in half

12-18 mini meatballs

6-8 cups water or broth

2 small or one large zucchini sliced

fresh baby spinach (1 small bag)

1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained

1 bag or package of cheese tortellini

Heat some olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add onion, celery, carrot, butternut squash, cherry tomatoes, pinch of salt and saute until tender. Add the garlic and continue to saute until softened. Add the broth or water, canned tomatoes, parm rind, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cook for 45-60 minutes. Add the zucchini, beans and meatballs, continue cooking another 30-45 minutes. Add the spinach and tortellini and continue to cook another 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with some warm crusty bread and butter.

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