Turkey Meatball Spinach and Tortellini Soup

I am a huge lover of soup. Over the past year, I have tried many different soup recipes and reaped the nutritional and comforting benefits of each one. I came across this soup on Skinnytaste.com. It looked so delicious and easy to make. I was right on both!! I changed things a little from the original recipe to suit my taste, and the end result was a light, delicious broth with yummy turkey meatballs, lots of fresh baby spinach and tri-color cheese tortellini. A burst of flavor in every spoonful!!

Ingredients Needed: (makes about 12 servings)
For the Meatballs:

• 1.30 lbs ground turkey
• 4 tbsp seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Soup:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 64 oz chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 13 oz frozen tri-color cheese tortellini
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach
• fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping (optional)

How to Make It:

• Combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, salt and parmesan cheese. Using your (clean) hands, gently mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined. Form small meatballs, about 1 tbsp each.
• In a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot & garlic. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
• Add the chicken broth and water and increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When broth boils, season with black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium and gently drop in the meatballs. Cook about 5 minutes.
• Add the tortellini and simmer until cooked according to package directions, about 7 minutes.
• Once cooked, add the baby spinach. Stir to combine and serve topped with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.