Description
This hearty Christmas Soup is a festive and comforting dish featuring a rich blend of diced tomatoes, creamy Velveeta cheese, chicken stock, and heavy cream, combined with your choice of meats and colorful holiday pasta. Perfect for cold winter days and holiday gatherings, this slow cooker or stovetop soup is easy to prepare and full of warm, savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with the juice
- 10 ounces canned Rotel original tomatoes and green chilies with juice (mild, not hot)
- 4 cups chicken stock (32 oz box)
- 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 cup heavy cream
Pasta
- 12-16 ounces Christmas or holiday pasta (red, white, green, bowtie, etc.)
Meat Options (choose one)
- 6-8 sliced sausages
- Or 2-3 small chicken breasts
- Or 16 ounces crumbled sausage
- Or 2 cups rotisserie chicken
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil ribbons
Instructions
- Combine Tomatoes: In a slow cooker, add the canned diced tomatoes and Rotel tomatoes with their juices to form the flavorful base for your soup.
- Add Stock and Cheese: Pour in the chicken stock and add the Velveeta cheese cubes. Cook on high in the slow cooker for 1 hour, or alternatively, in a soup pot on the stovetop over low heat for 1 hour until the cheese is melted and integrated.
- Add Heavy Cream: After 1 hour, lower the slow cooker temperature and whisk in the heavy cream to enrich the soup’s texture. Stir well with a spoon or whisk.
- Incorporate Meat: Add your choice of defrosted meat—chicken, sausage (browned if desired), or rotisserie chicken. The meat will cook in the soup; shred whole chicken breasts with two forks after an hour as they become tender.
- Add Pasta: Stir in the festive holiday pasta and cook for about 45 minutes to let the pasta soften without overcooking. Keep an eye on the texture to avoid mushiness.
- Adjust Consistency: The pasta will thicken the soup after an hour. Add additional chicken stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup consistency.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls or mugs and garnish with fresh basil ribbons. Serve alongside crackers, tortilla chips, warm bread slices, or croutons for added texture.
- Stovetop Preparation (Optional): For stovetop cooking, prepare in a large Dutch oven over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. After cheese melts, reduce heat to low and add cream and meat after 1 hour. Shred cooked chicken in the pot and finish cooking pasta for about 45 minutes.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftover soup in a large saucepan. Before reheating, remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes early and warm over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave in individual bowls.
Notes
- Defrost meats before adding to the soup for faster and even cooking.
- Browning sausage adds extra flavor but is optional.
- Do not overcook pasta to prevent it from becoming mushy.
- If soup thickens too much due to pasta, thin it out with more chicken stock or water.
- Fresh basil adds a bright, fresh finish—add just before serving.
- This soup can be made in either a slow cooker or on the stovetop with similar results.
- Leftovers reheat well using gentle heat to maintain texture and flavor.
