Description
This hearty Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup combines savory Italian sausage with tender cheese tortellini and fresh spinach in a creamy, comforting broth. Perfect for a cozy meal, this easy slow cooker recipe requires minimal prep and fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas as it slowly cooks to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Liquids and Seasonings
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Pasta and Cheese
- 1 packet (19 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon to crumble it evenly. Once cooked, drain off any excess grease to keep the soup from being too oily.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Place the browned sausage into the slow cooker, creating the base for the soup.
- Add vegetables: Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and thinly sliced carrots to the slow cooker. Stir the mixture briefly to combine the ingredients well.
- Add broth and seasonings: Pour in the chicken broth, then sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir once again to distribute the seasonings throughout the liquid.
- Slow cook the soup: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours. This allows the carrots to soften and the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Add tortellini: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen cheese tortellini. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Add cream, spinach, and cheese: Stir in the heavy cream, fresh baby spinach leaves, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Cook for an additional 5–10 minutes on LOW until the spinach wilts and the soup becomes creamy and rich.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese, then serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, although it will be less creamy.
- To make the soup spicier, use spicy Italian sausage instead of sweet sausage.
- Fresh tortellini can be used instead of frozen; adjust cooking time accordingly as fresh pasta cooks faster.
- Leftovers store well and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the tortellini with gluten-free pasta.
