Key Facts
- ✓ The recipe calls for 15 ingredients, including cheese tortellini and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- ✓ Preparation involves sautéing onions and garlic in butter in a large pot, such as a Le Creuset or Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven.
- ✓ Fresh lemon juice is added at the end and described as a 'game changer.'
- ✓ The soup is topped with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Quick Summary
A recent culinary review details the preparation of Joanna Gaines' spinach-tortellini soup. The dish is described as a low-effort, comforting meal suitable for cold weather. The recipe utilizes 15 specific ingredients, many of which are pantry staples. The preparation method involves a single large pot, making cleanup minimal. The reviewer highlights the addition of fresh lemon juice as a significant flavor enhancement. The soup is presented as a versatile meal that pairs well with bread or sandwiches.
Recipe Essentials and Ingredients 🥘
The recipe for Joanna Gaines' spinach-tortellini soup relies on a specific set of 15 ingredients. The star component is cheese tortellini, which the reviewer recommends keeping in the pantry or freezer. Other necessary items include unsalted butter, onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.
Additional ingredients required for the soup are:
- Cannellini beans
- Baby spinach
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper
- Lemon
- Shaved Parmesan cheese
The reviewer notes that Andrea cheese tortellini was used for this specific batch, though Trader Joe's spinach tortellini is also a suggested alternative.
"The added citrus is a total game changer."
— Review of Joanna Gaines' recipe
Cooking Instructions 🍳
The cooking process begins with melting unsalted butter over medium-to-high heat in a large soup pot. The reviewer typically favors using a Le Creuset or Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven for this step. Once the butter is melted, diced onion and minced garlic are added. The mixture is stirred constantly to prevent the garlic from burning, continuing until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
Next, chicken broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and Italian seasoning are added to the pot and brought to a rolling boil. Once boiling, the tortellini and cannellini beans are introduced. The soup is allowed to boil until the pasta is fully cooked. For Andrea cheese tortellini, this takes roughly eight to 12 minutes, though timing may vary depending on the brand chosen.
Finishing Touches and Serving 🥗
In the final step, the heat is reduced to medium. The spinach, parsley, and basil are tossed into the pot, along with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture is stirred until the spinach wilts, which takes only a few minutes. Finally, fresh lemon juice is squeezed into the broth. The reviewer describes this added citrus as a total game changer.
To serve, the soup is ladled into bowls. Joanna Gaines typically tops the dish with fresh Parmesan cheese and pairs it with crunchy French bread. The reviewer, however, prefers pairing the soup with a homemade sandwich or sliced homemade bread, such as a rosemary olive-oil loaf.
"I typically favor my Le Creuset or Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven."
— Review of Joanna Gaines' recipe




