There are few things that make you feel warm from the inside out like a bowl of soup does.  That’s why when the weather starts to get cool I love to make a big batch of soup to keep on hand.

Nothing makes you feel warm from the inside out like a bowl of soup does. Here's a simple, easy to customize recipe for tortellini soup you can make in your slow cooker!

I don’t really have a set recipe – I don’t think I’ve ever made it the same way twice, come to think of it – but I follow the same basic steps.

The last time I made soup I used the crock pot and I really loved the set it and forget it way of cooking.  I was able to make more than a gallon of soup without much effort.

Of course, it helps if you have all the ingredients in your house.  I started getting my soup prepped and realized that I didn’t have any chicken broth in the house.  Hmmm.  It’s tough to make soup with no broth.

Fortunately, digging around in my cupboards I found a jar of Better Than Bouillon that I bought on a whim a while ago.  I’d never tried it before, but since I had no other options, I gave it a shot.  It was pretty easy – just mix it in water – and had a decent flavor.

But the key to great soup is spice.  I start with about a teaspoon of each spice per quart and adjust from there by taste.  My go-to spices for soup are onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, paprika, ground mustard, thyme, salt and pepper.

Want to give it a try?  Here are some basic steps to follow for making Belly Warming Tortellini Soup in your slow cooker.

  1. In a 5 quart slow cooker mix 4 quarts of water with about 5 tbsp Better Than Bouillon (or use 4 quarts chicken broth).  Add in spices to taste.  Set heat to low and let cook for at least 3 hours
  2. Approximately 2 hours before serving add 2 12-ounce bags of frozen cheese tortellini and about 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables.  You can also add a couple of cups of cooked chicken if you like.  I also recommend tasting the broth to make sure the seasonings are how you like them.  Add more as necessary.
  3. Serve piping hot!

That’s it!

Is there anything you like to add to your soups to make them special?  Share in the comments.

Soup 1