Slow Cooker Tomato Tortellini Soup

That first hiss from the cooker tells you something good is happening. When you hear that valve hiss, its like a sneak peek at the warm comforts waiting inside. Its kinda soothing, knowing the broth depth is building up slowly as those flavors mingle.

You feel that float valve pop up and the slow release begins, meaning your soup is on its way. Its such a chill moment where the kitchen starts smelling like cozy and hearty. You spot the rich colors through the cooker lid and just cant wait to get that tender pull of sausage and tortellini in your spoon.

Cooking soup this way works real good coz it lets everything soak and soften without rush. You get that perfect balance of creamy and tomato tang with none of the fuss youd have on the stove. It kinda makes waiting feel worth it!

Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot

• It keeps a steady heat that lets flavors build up slow and easy. Check out other slow cooker recipes that benefit from this steady heat.
• You dont gotta stir constantly, the cooker does the work while you chill. Learn more about slow cooker tips to get the most from your appliance.
• The slow release valve controls pressure so nothing spills or burns.
• That valve hiss is like a timer telling you soups almost done.
• Broth depth gets better than stove-top since no heat spikes mess things up. Discover broth recipes that highlight this flavor depth.
• You get tender pull on sausage and pasta without overcooking anything.

Your Simple Ingredient Checklist

• 1 lb Italian sausage (casing removed  swap with ground beef or turkey sausage if you like)
• 32 oz chicken broth (or vegetable broth for veggie version)
• 28 oz petite diced tomatoes (use crushed or tomato sauce if you dont want chunks)
• Two 10.5 oz cans tomato soup (adds great flavor and thickness)
• Two 8 oz containers chive and onion cream cheese (softened for easy stirring)
• 18 oz package refrigerated cheese tortellini (uncooked, frozen works too, no need to thaw)
• Optional fresh veggies and herbs like spinach, sauteed onions, celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, oregano for extra kick
• Seasonings if you wanna swap cream cheese for plain, throw in onion powder or garlic powder

How It All Comes Together Step by Step

• First, brown that Italian sausage in a skillet til no pink remains. You want it cooked through and a little crispy bits make it tastier.
• Drain any grease if you want, then toss the sausage into that 6-qt slow cooker.
• Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup next. Give it a good stir to mix everything well and get all those flavors mingling.
• Next stir in the softened chive and onion cream cheese. It melts right into that broth creating creamy goodness.
• Add uncooked cheese tortellini right on top. Dont worry about thawing if frozen, just toss it in.
• Cover your slow cooker and set it on HIGH for about 15 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye cause tortellini cooks fast so you dont want it mushy.
• Once tortellinis tender and the sausage is tender pull friendly, its time to serve up some serious comfort!

Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple

• If you skip the sausage, just add cream cheese and tortellini with the other ingredients. Easy and still packs flavor. See our guide on vegetarian slow cooker recipes for more options.
• Frozen tortellini? No worries, just throw it in without thawing. Itll take a few extra minutes but works great.
• If you want to pump up nutrients, throw in fresh spinach or sauteed onions right before serving.
• Vegetarian? Use veggie broth and skip the sausage, its still rich and comforting.

Your First Taste After the Wait

That first spoonful hits your tongue warm and cheesy with that tang from tomatoes and cream cheese doing a little dance. You notice the depth of broth thats got a kinda sweet and savory hug around your taste buds.

The sausage gives hearty bites with a little texture contrast to the soft tortellini bursting with cheesy filling. Its cozy and feels like a big kitchen hug on a chilly night.

By the time you finish the bowl, you spot little bursts of herbs and maybe a veggie surprise if you added extras. Soup like this is why you keep a slow cooker handy for days you wanna feel good food fast.

Making It Last All Week Long

Store leftover soup in airtight containers and pop it in your fridge. It stays good for about 3 to 4 days but remember pasta can soak up broth and get a bit puffy.

When reheating, add a splash of broth or a little heavy cream to loosen it back up. It keeps that creamy texture without drying out.

For freezing, cool soup to room temp before tossing into freezer bags. If you freeze the whole thing, hold off on adding tortellini til you reheat it so pasta stays nice.

Common Questions and Real Answers

• Can I make this in an Instant Pot? Yeah, you can try it but I havent tested exact times. Keep an eye on that float valve and do a slow release to keep things cozy. Let me know if you try!
• Do I need to thaw frozen tortellini first? Nope, just throw it right in. Itll just take a couple extra minutes to get tender.
• Can I use plain cream cheese instead of chive and onion? Sure! Just add a little onion powder or garlic powder so it keeps flavor jumping.
• What if I dont want chunks of tomatoes? Swap diced for crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce for a smoother broth.
• Can you freeze this soup? Yep and it freezes well. Just wait to add the tortellini when reheating to keep it tasting fresh.
• How long do I simmer if making stovetop? Simmer soup for about 20 minutes after cooking sausage and adding liquids. Stir in cream cheese and tortellini at the end and cook till pastas tender.

Slow Cooker Tomato Tortellini Soup

A cozy and creamy soup loaded with Italian sausage, cheesy tortellini, and a tomato cream base made easy in the slow cooker.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 420

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage casing removed
• 32 oz chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 28 oz petite diced tomatoes or crushed or tomato sauce
• 2 x 10.5 oz can tomato soup adds great flavor and thickness
• 2 x 8 oz container chive and onion cream cheese softened
• 18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini uncooked
• optional fresh veggies and herbs spinach, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, oregano
• seasonings onion powder or garlic powder if omitting flavored cream cheese

Equipment

• 1 Slow Cooker 6 qt

Method

 

Instructions

1. Brown Italian sausage in a skillet until fully cooked and slightly crispy.
2. Drain grease and transfer sausage to a 6-qt slow cooker.
3. Pour in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup. Stir to combine.
4. Stir in the softened chive and onion cream cheese until fully melted into the broth.
5. Add uncooked cheese tortellini over the top.
6. Cover the slow cooker and set to HIGH for 15-30 minutes.
7. Check the tortellini for doneness, ensuring it's tender but not mushy.
8. Once pasta is done and sausage is tender, stir and serve hot.

Notes

For extra nutrition, stir in spinach or sautéed onion before serving. Omit sausage and use veggie broth for vegetarian. Freeze without tortellini and add later for best texture.