Description
Hearty slow cooker creamy tortellini soup blends Italian comfort with rich, velvety textures. Cheese-filled pasta and tender vegetables simmer in a luxurious broth that warms souls and satisfies deep hunger.
Ingredients
- 1 package (9 oz/255g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 cups (960ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups (90g) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 can (14.5 oz/411g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 can (8 oz/227g) tomato sauce
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sausage Preparation: Brown italian sausage in skillet, thoroughly crumbling and rendering fat to develop intense, robust flavor profile.
- Slow Cooker Fusion: Combine browned sausage with chicken broth, diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes in slow cooker, creating a complex flavor foundation.
- Flavor Development: Simmer mixture on low temperature for 4-6 hours, allowing ingredients to meld and intensify, creating a deeply nuanced liquid base.
- Final Touches: Introduce heavy cream and tortellini during last 30 minutes of cooking, enabling pasta to absorb surrounding flavors and achieve perfect tender consistency.
- Herbaceous Enrichment: Gently fold fresh spinach into the creamy mixture, allowing leaves to delicately wilt and add vibrant color and nutritional boost.
- Finishing Flourish: Sprinkle parmesan cheese generously, enhancing soup’s depth and creating a luxurious, complex flavor profile.
- Seasoning Refinement: Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper, ensuring a harmonious and balanced taste experience.
- Presentation: Ladle into warmed bowls, garnishing with additional parmesan cheese for textural contrast and elegant presentation.
Notes
Manage Meat Fat: Thoroughly drain excess fat from browned sausage to prevent greasiness and maintain a clean, robust soup profile.
Optimize Cooking Time: Slow cook on low for precisely 4-6 hours to develop deep flavor layers without overcooking pasta or vegetables.
Control Cream Integration: Add heavy cream and tortellini only in the final 30 minutes to prevent pasta from becoming mushy and cream from separating.
Customize Dietary Needs: Easily adapt by using plant-based sausage, gluten-free tortellini, or dairy-free cream alternatives for diverse dietary requirements.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg