Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup
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With crumbled sausage, tomatoes, pillowy cheese tortellini + leafy greens in a velvety, creamy broth. SO GOOD!
It has been a very cold winter, and we are in dire need of some cozy, comforting goodness to warm us from the inside out right now. And this set-and-forget slow cooker tortellini soup really has it all – from crumbled Italian sausage to soft, pillowy three-cheese tortellini to sneaked-in leafy greens in the most velvety, creamy, tomato-brothy goodness. And the tortellini cooks oh-so-perfectly right in the crockpot.
reasons to make slow cooker tortellini soup
- Cold weather comfort food. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, winter or summer, this cozy bowl of tortellini soup always delivers. It is truly the best kind of hug-in-a-bowl.
- Dump-and-go crockpot dinner. This is what weeknight dreams are made of. You can brown the sausage and throw everything into a slow cooker in the morning for a dinner that basically cooks itself, coming home to a big bowl of comfort. No stress, no fuss, no mess.
- Freezer-friendly soup. Tortellini soup freezes so well for a quick, comforting meal any day of the week – ideal for meal prep, budget-friendly dinners and super chaotic, busy weeknights (not to mention, lazy weekends too!).
Ingredients
Italian sausage
Feel free to use pork or chicken sausage, mild or spicy. Helpful tip: bulk sausage will already have the casing removed (minimizing prep). Omit or swap with plant-based sausage for a vegetarian option.
Low sodium or unsalted chicken stock
Using low sodium or unsalted chicken stock allows for full flexibility and control to taste and add salt as needed. Substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian option.
Tomatoes
We’re using both diced tomatoes and tomato sauce for a lovely tomato sauce base.
Onion, garlic and Italian seasoning
For all the aromatics and flavor.
Parmesan rind
Completely optional, but highly recommend not skipping! The Parmesan rind will soften throughout the cooking process, adding a rich, salty, nutty flavor while also naturally thickening the soup to a velvety, silky consistency.
Tortellini
Fresh, refrigerated tortellini (any variety) is ideal, and will cook much faster than dried tortellini.
Kale
This is the perfect opportunity to sneak in leafy greens, great for picky eaters.
Heavy cream
For that rich, creamy goodness, of course. Half and half can also be used for a lighter soup.
Basil
Adds a final burst of bright, fresh flavors.
Parmesan
Add your finishing touches with freshly grated or shaved Parmesan on top.
tips and tricks for success
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Save leftover Parmesan rinds. Get more out of those expensive Parmesan cheeses by using up the leftover rinds! Adding a Parmesan rind slightly thickens the broth and adds a level of nutty richness to the soup.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
- Add the cream slowly. Always add the heavy cream at the very end (prolonged cooking can cause the heavy cream to separate and become grainy), pouring very slowly to prevent curdling. Wanting a lighter soup? Substitute half and half or skip the heavy cream altogether.
- Store tortellini separately for leftovers. When planning for leftovers, store the cooked tortellini separately from the soup to prevent it from soaking up all the broth.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
what to serve with slow cooker tortellini soup
Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
We love using fresh cheese tortellini for a more neutral base but your favorite tortellini variety would also work very well here.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the tortellini and kale (or else they will get mushy) and heavy cream (cream soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked tortellini, kale and heavy cream when serving.
No slow cooker, no problem! You can use this recipe instead.
Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (3-inch) Parmesan rind, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated three cheese tortellini
- ½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Place Italian sausage into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and Parmesan rind, if using; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
- Uncover and stir in tortellini, kale and heavy cream; cover and cook on high heat for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until tortellini is tender. Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan.
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