This smooth and creamy, hearty and healthy soup comes together in just minutes with Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, short pasta, veggies, protein, and melted cheese.
Some credit to goes to mom for this recipe. I’m typically not the one to opt for store-bought “shortcuts” for foods that are simple enough to make from scratch, like soup. But my mother was raving about this Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup, and now I am to. Like…
THIS IS THE BEST SOUP PURCHASE YOU WILL EVER MAKE.
It’s perfectly smooth and creamy without being too heavy, and the flavor is OUT OF THIS WORLD–rich and savory with a touch of sweetness. It actually tastes so yummy that I stick my face in the used measuring cup after cooking with it to lick up every last drop. And no one is paying me to write this btw. 
The result met all those expectations…and we’re talking the comfort level of my twinkling Christmas tree and favorite soft blanket. And all it took was simmering the soup for 12ish minutes with whole grain pasta, chopped asparagus (in the last 5 minutes), and finally pulled cooked chicken. Topped it off with one of my favorite cheese blends–Publix’s Garlic Pesto Monterey Jack–and paired it with some toasty whole grain naan because cheese and bread and more cheese are the crux of my livelihood, if we’re being honest.
[Shortcut] Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chicken and Shells
![[Shortcut] Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Chicken and Shells](https://i0.wp.com/www.makandhercheese.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/fullsizeoutput_719b-1.jpeg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
Notes
*Sub any vegetable of your choice. Baby spinach is amazing in this soup--just stir in at the end with the chicken until wilted.
**In place of chicken, try cooked lump crabmeat. Or use a flaky white fish--chop raw fish, then stir in in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup Light in Sodium
- 1/2 clove fresh garlic, chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp dried basil or Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1.6 oz whole grain shells (or other short pasta)
- 4-6 oz asparagus, chopped*
- 2 jarred artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
- 3 oz cooked chicken breast (4 oz raw or 2 tenders)**
- 1/3 cup frozen baby sweet peas
- 1/2 cup low sodium broth, or as needed
- squeeze fresh lemon juice
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 oz freshly shredded cheese (such as garlic pesto Monterey Jack, mozzarella, fontina, etc.)
Instructions
- Add soup to a saucepan, cover, and heat over medium until it comes to a simmer. Stir in garlic, dried herbs, a pinch black pepper, and dry pasta. Cover and cook at a gentle boil about 7 minutes.
- Stir in chopped raw asparagus and artichokes. (**If using chopped raw white fish, stir in now.) Cover and cook 5 minutes longer, or until the pasta and asparagus are tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare chicken. If raw: Grease a small skillet and heat over medium. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken, add to pan, and cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool, then pull into small pieces.
- At the end of cooking, stir in chicken and baby peas. Stir in broth until desired consistency is reached. Remove from heat.
- Add a splash of lemon juice, black pepper, and good quality sea salt, to taste. Divide between bowls. Top with cheese.
