Description
Comforting slow cooker tomato tortellini soup blends rich flavors with creamy cheddar cheese and crispy toast bites. Hearty ingredients meld together, creating a perfect meal that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (450g) Italian sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can (28 ounces / 794 grams) diced tomatoes, undrained
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans (10.75 ounces / 305 grams each) condensed tomato soup
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Dairy and Pasta:
- 1 package (20 ounces / 567 grams) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 2 cups (200 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
Toast Bites Ingredients:
- 4 slices crusty bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Crumble the Italian sausage in a hot skillet, cooking until it turns a rich brown and loses its raw pink hue, meticulously breaking down the meat into small, uniform pieces.
- Relocate the fully cooked sausage into the slow cooker, ensuring all flavorful bits are transferred.
- Utilize the same skillet to sauté diced onions, transforming them from opaque to translucent with gentle heat.
- Introduce minced garlic to the softened onions, allowing its aromatic essence to bloom for a brief moment.
- Carefully deposit the fragrant onion and garlic mixture into the slow cooker.
- Pour chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their vibrant juice, condensed tomato soup, and a harmonious blend of Italian seasoning, dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper into the slow cooker.
- Thoroughly integrate all ingredients with a comprehensive stirring motion.
- Secure the lid and allow the soup to simmer on low temperature for 6-7 hours or accelerate the process on high for 3-4 hours.
- Approximately 30 minutes before serving, gently introduce cheese tortellini and velvety heavy cream into the soup.
- Continue cooking on high setting until tortellini reach perfect tenderness, typically 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to a crisp 375F (190C) for toast preparation.
- Transform bread slices into delectable bite-sized cubes, arranging them evenly on a baking sheet.
- Craft a luxurious butter mixture by combining melted butter with garlic powder and dried parsley.
- Delicately drizzle the aromatic butter mixture over bread cubes, ensuring each piece receives an even coating.
- Bake until the cubes achieve a golden, crunchy exterior, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Distribute the soup into serving bowls, generously garnishing each portion with freshly shredded cheddar cheese.
- Present the toast bites alongside or sprinkled atop the soup for an irresistible textural contrast.
Notes
- Customize the heat by adjusting the amount of crushed red pepper flakes for a spicier or milder soup experience.
- Swap Italian sausage with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter or vegetarian version of the soup.
- Prevent tortellini from becoming mushy by adding them only during the last 30 minutes of cooking to maintain their perfect texture.
- Enhance the toast bites’ flavor by experimenting with different herbs like rosemary or thyme instead of parsley for a unique twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 100mg