Description
This Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup is a warm and comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring savory Italian sausage, tender cheese tortellini, fresh spinach, and a rich, creamy broth. Perfect for a hearty meal, it’s easy to prepare with minimal hands-on time using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
Main Ingredients
- 20 oz. frozen/fresh cheese tortellini (about 4 cups)
- 3 oz. fresh baby spinach, tightly packed (about 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics and Sausage: Over medium-high heat in a skillet, sauté the diced onions and minced garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the ground Italian sausage, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning, cooking until the sausage is slightly browned.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked meat mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add Flour and Broth: Whisk the all-purpose flour with the beef broth until smooth, then pour the mixture over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Add the drained diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Cook Soup: Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours until flavors meld.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add Tortellini and Greens: Stir in the cheese tortellini, fresh baby spinach, grated Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream to the slow cooker.
- Cook Tortellini: Continue cooking on high for another 10 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked through and tender.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy tortellini soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally with crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a milder soup, use sweet Italian sausage instead of spicy.
- Fresh tortellini is preferred for best texture, but frozen works well too.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the beef broth by 1 cup or add an additional tablespoon of flour.
- Spinach can be substituted with kale or Swiss chard for variation.
- This soup freezes well; reheat gently to avoid curdling the cream.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though it may be less creamy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
