Try this recipe for a quick Italian tortellini soup you'll love

EVANSVILLE – Are you hungry for something delicious, quick, inexpensive and healthy for dinner tonight? It does exist!

Here’s a soup that is reminiscent of that creamy Zuppa Toscana you get at the Italian restaurants, but it’s much healthier and lower in calories. With a little chopping and dicing it comes together in less than 30 minutes, and most of that is cooking time.

We use plenty of onion, garlic, carrot and celery for flavor and nutrition. We swap out pork sausage for Italian seasoned ground turkey to save on fat calories. Instead of potato, we use a can of garbanzo beans, because they have more fiber and protein, and throw in a handful of tortellini pasta for interest. If you’re gluten-free, just add another can of garbanzos or one of cannellini beans.

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We do not add cream at all, because it’s just not necessary. Do choose a good quality brand of chicken stock or bone broth, however. We used Pacific Organics. Zoup makes a good quality stock in glass jars, too.

Use the greens of your choice. If you’d like to go with kale or collards, add them with the tortellini so they have time to cook down. If you use something softer such as spinach or chard (we had bok choy languishing in the fridge, so we used the leaves and it was great), stir it in towards the end of cooking time.

To make a meal, serve it with a salad and garlic bread.

Italian tortellini soup

Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic (more or less to taste)

Handful fresh parsley leaves, minced, divided

Big pinch salt