Description
Hearty crockpot tortellini soup with sausage delivers comfort in a bowl, blending Italian-inspired flavors with simple slow cooker magic. Cheese-filled pasta, savory sausage, and rich broth combine for a satisfying meal you can enjoy with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) diced tomatoes
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Pasta:
- 1 bag (10 ounces / 283 grams) cheese tortellini
Instructions
- Sear ground sausage in a hot skillet, fragmenting into small, uniform pieces until golden brown and fully cooked. Eliminate any accumulated fat through careful draining.
- Transfer browned sausage into slow cooker, layering with chopped onion, minced garlic, robust chicken broth, zesty diced tomatoes, and aromatic Italian seasoning.
- Allow mixture to simmer and meld flavors on low temperature for 6-7 hours, developing rich, complex taste profile.
- Approximately 40 minutes before serving, introduce cheese-filled tortellini and velvety heavy cream into the simmering liquid. Gently incorporate to ensure even distribution.
- During final cooking moments, delicately fold fresh spinach leaves into soup, permitting them to gracefully wilt and infuse subtle verdant notes.
- Taste and calibrate seasoning with judicious pinches of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Ladle steaming soup into warmed ceramic bowls, presenting immediately while temperatures remain optimal for maximum enjoyment.
Notes
- Choose lean sausage varieties like turkey or chicken for a healthier twist on the classic recipe.
- Keep tortellini slightly undercooked when adding to the crockpot to prevent mushy texture during extended cooking.
- Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk for a lighter version that still maintains creamy consistency.
- Fresh herbs like basil or parsley can elevate the soup’s flavor profile and add a vibrant finishing touch when sprinkled on top just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg