Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating this comforting dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 pound Italian sausage, crumbled
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 3 cups cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
If you’re looking to adapt this recipe, you can substitute the Italian sausage with turkey sausage for a lighter version or use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly by omitting the sausage altogether.
Instructions
Creating this Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage is a breeze, especially with the trusty guidance of your slow cooker. Here’s how to do it:
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the crumbled sausage until fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Add the cooked sausage, diced onion, and garlic to your crockpot.
- Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes, then stir in the dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and spinach to the crockpot and stir.
- Just before serving, stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
This method allows the flavors to meld beautifully, much like those long afternoons spent in my grandmother’s kitchen, where patience was the secret ingredient.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International