Description
Hearty slow cooker creamy tortellini soup brings comfort and warmth to dinner tables with its rich, cheesy goodness. Packed with tender cheese tortellini and a velvety broth, this Italian-inspired meal delivers soul-satisfying flavor you’ll crave on chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein Base:
- 1 pound (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed
Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
Liquid and Seasoning:
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces/411g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (8 ounces/227g) tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta and Dairy:
- 1 package (9 ounces/255g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 3 cups (90g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sizzle italian sausage in a skillet, crumbling and rendering out excess fat to develop rich, meaty flavor.
- Transfer browned sausage into slow cooker vessel, amalgamating with aromatic chicken broth, zesty diced tomatoes, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, herbaceous basil, robust oregano, and optional fiery red pepper flakes.
- Allow ingredients to harmonize and intensify flavors by simmering gently on low temperature for 4-6 hours, creating a deeply infused liquid base.
- During final 30 minutes of cooking, introduce silky heavy cream and pillowy tortellini, allowing pasta to absorb surrounding flavors and become tender.
- Elevate soup’s nutritional profile and visual appeal by folding in vibrant fresh spinach leaves, which will delicately wilt into the creamy mixture.
- Sprinkle generous shavings of nutty parmesan cheese to enhance depth and complexity of the soup’s profile.
- Taste and calibrate seasoning with judicious pinches of salt and freshly cracked pepper, ensuring balanced flavor harmony.
- Serve piping hot in hearty bowls, garnishing with additional parmesan for textural contrast and visual elegance.
Notes
- Swap sausage with plant-based alternatives like crumbled tofu or vegetarian sausage for a meat-free version.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control spice level, making it kid-friendly or extra zesty.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to manage salt content for health-conscious diners.
- Freeze leftovers in portion-sized containers for quick future meals, keeping tortellini separate to prevent mushiness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 705mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg