Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup

This Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup is a 10 ingredient comfort food recipe that’s ideal for a busy weeknight when you need an easy dinner. With just a few minutes of prep, let the slow cooker do the rest of the work for you. It’s the perfect recipe for meal planning (it freezes well too!), and a dish that everyone loves.

When the cold winter months come around, this Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup is one of our go-to recipes. It’s so simple to assemble with just 10 ingredients, and simmering it in the slow cooker all day makes it incredibly easy to prepare.

Whether you are a beginner cook or seasoned chef, the flavors in this slow cooker tortellini soup are very gourmet. With the richness of Italian sausage, spices, fresh vegetables, and cheesy tortellini, there’s so much to love about this comforting dinner.

Our family requests this recipe during a busy week, it’s rewarding to make because it’s a home cooked meal that isn’t time consuming or difficult. Plus, it’s easy to customize to everyone’s liking with different vegetables or proteins.

If you are looking for more slow cooker recipes, we are big fans! Try our Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper and Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• 10 ingredient soup: This tortellini soup is easy to shop for with approachable ingredients.
• Simple slow cooker meal: All you need to do is quickly prep the soup recipe and then set the slow cooker to cook everything else for you! It’s that easy.
• Great meal prep recipe: If you have a busy week, put this recipe on your list. It’s a home-cooked meal with not a lot of effort.
• Comfort food at it’s finest: We love this soup recipe during the cold winter months to warm us up. It’s all the flavors of heartiness in a bowl.

Ingredients

Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below

• Regular or spicy Italian sausage: The meat that infuses the soup with rich flavor. You can substitute your favorite ground meat here too.
• Onion and carrot: The base vegetable mixture that infuses the soup with sweetness.  
• Garlic cloves: Adds the hint of garlic we all love in every bite.
• Italian seasoning: Gives that delicious herby flavor.   
• Regular or low-sodium chicken broth: Comforting broth that brings all of the ingredients together.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Adds a smokiness and bright tomato flavor.
• Refrigerated cheese tortellini: The noodles that are filled with a hint of cheese.
• Heavy whipping cream: Adds creaminess in every bite.
• Cornstarch: The ingredient that helps to thicken the broth to the right consistency.
• Chopped fresh kale: A hint of fresh veggies in every bite (not pictured).
• Seasoning Salt: Enhances the overall flavor profile. I prefer Livias Seasoning Salt.

Tools You’ll Need

• Crockpot
• Large Skillet
• Garlic Press
• Meat Chopper
• Liquid Measuring Cups
• Can Opener
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Cheese Grater (optional)
• Ladle

How to Make Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook Italian sausage until browned (about 4-6 minutes). Drain excess grease if necessary.

2. To a large Crockpot, add onion, carrot, garlic, Italian seasoning, seasoning salt or salt and black pepper, chicken broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and the cooked sausage. Stir to combine.

3. Cover and cook on low for about 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
4. About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together cornstarch and heavy cream in a small bowl. Add the tortellini, heavy cream cornstarch mixture, and kale to the crockpot. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for an additional 20-30 minutes.

5. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips and Variations

• Leftover Variation: If you plan to have leftovers, cook the tortellini separately. This way, you can ensure the pasta is perfectly cooked and maintains the desired texture even when reheating leftovers. When you’re ready to serve, add the cooked tortellini to the individual soup bowls and ladle the hot soup over it. If you already put all of the tortellini in your soup, they’ll soak up the broth quite a bit as it’s stored. If needed, add additional broth when reheated.
• Avoid dairy separation. Keep in mind that dairy can sometimes separate when frozen. To minimize this, stir the soup gently after reheating. Also, lower fat content liquids can curdle more easily due to the acidity of the tomatoes.
• Customize the spice level. If you prefer a spicier soup, use hot Italian sausage or add crushed red pepper flakes. For a milder version, opt for sweet Italian sausage.
• Swap out the Sausage. Pork, beef, turkey, chicken or a combination of these ground seasoned meats can work in this recipe.
• Use different types of tomatoes. Tomato sauce, regular diced tomatoes, or petite diced tomatoes can be used in place of fire roasted tomatoes.
• Tortellini Varieties: Try different flavors of tortellini for a unique twist. You can also use frozen tortellini, but you will need to add 15 minutes to the covered cook time.
• Green Goodness is optional. If you don’t want to add kale, simply omit it. Fresh spinach can also be used. If doing so, add about 5 minutes before serving as it will wilt in the mixture quickly.

Storage and Freezing

Store any leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.

This soup also freezes great too. We recommend storing the soup in the freezer without the tortellini and greens. Add the tortellini and greens when reheating the soup to serve to ensure the texture of the pasta is perfect. Store for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a couple of hours. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

When it comes to make-ahead and meal prep, this soup speaks for itself! The slow cooker makes it too simple to cook in advance on a busy weeknight, so mealtime is a breeze.

FAQs

More Comforting Slow Cooker Recipes

• Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Crockpot Beef and Noodles
• Easy Slow Cooker Pork Roast
• Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich