Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage
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Every bite of this creamy, 6-ingredient Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage is packed with flavor and color. This crowd-pleaser soup comes together fast and then slow cooks all day long.
Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with Hy-Vee (Columbia).
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Soup
- It only has 6 ingredients. We know our readers love 6-ingredient (or less) recipes!
- It’s SO flavorful. The simplicity of the ingredients doesn’t compromise the flavor.
- It’s easy. This crock pot recipe is perfect for a beginner cook.
- It’s flexible. There are lots of substitutions and variations for the ingredients.
Where to Get Your Ingredients
We suggest grabbing the ingredients for this recipe at your local Hy-Vee, since they are well-stocked year-round. The employees are so helpful, if you have any questions.
Toss in ingredients for a salad and a baguette from their bakery for a complete meal.
Order your groceries online here for pick up or delivery.
Key Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients that you’ll need for Creamy Tortellini Soup with Sausage.
The sausage and Italian-style tomatoes bring complex flavor, the spinach adds some pops of color, and the cheese tortellini and cream cheese add major comfort factor.
Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & Variations
- Ground Italian pork sausage – You can sub turkey or chicken sausage.
- Petite-diced, Italian-style tomatoes – If using plain diced tomatoes, add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried basil to the soup.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Here is how to make your own broth.
- Fresh spinach – Kale would work instead.
- Frozen cheese tortellini – You could sub gluten-free tortellini or bowtie pasta.
- Cream cheese – Get the block so you can cut it into cubes. Also, don’t use low-fat.
How to Make Crockpot Sausage Tortellini Soup
Brown the Sausage
In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat until there is no more pink showing, about 4 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
Cook the Soup in the Crock Pot
Add the sausage, diced tomatoes (juices and all), and chicken broth into a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook the soup on LOW for 6-8 hours. You can also cook it on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart
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Add the Tortellini and Spinach
Turn the temperature to HIGH. Stir in the frozen tortellini.
Next, stir in the chopped spinach.
Replace the lid, and cook for about 30-45 more minutes, until warmed through.
Prep the Cream Cheese Mixture
While the tortellini and spinach are cooking, it’s time to prep the cream cheese for the soup.
Note: If you skip this step, the cream cheese won’t melt in, leaving you with little specks of cream cheese in the soup. While the taste is still good, it’s not very appealing.
- Place the cream cheese in a glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 10-second increments until softened, stirring in between.
- Use a ladle or measuring cup to add a little of the hot soup liquid to the cream cheese.
- Stir until fully combined and smooth.
Combine Everything
Stir in your cream cheese mixture and gently stir it until all the cream cheese has liquified. It should be smelling SO good! The cream cheese will continue to melt in and the soup will thicken as it sits.
What to Serve with Tortellini Soup
Can You Freeze Tortellini Soup?
While we have loads of delicious Crock Pot Freezer Meals, but this particular soup isn’t an ideal one for the freezer. The tortellini will gets very mushy after being cooked, frozen, and then thawed.
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerate for 3-5 days in airtight containers. Keep in mind the tortellini may begin to fall apart the longer it sits.
Use gluten-free tortellini or bowtie pasta in place of regular tortellini. Check it sooner than the recipe calls for to make sure it doesn’t get overdone.
Use a can of petite-diced tomatoes instead. Add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried basil to the soup.
Yes, the spinach can be left out without compromising the recipe.
Love Tortellini? Try These Recipes…
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup (on the stovetop)
- Chicken Tortellini Soup (for the crockpot)
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
- 4-Ingredient Baked Tortellini
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage
Finally, a crockpot recipe that is SUPER easy to make yet packed with flavor. The creamy goodness of this sausage tortellini soup is a win with all ages and makes for great lunch leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian pork sausage (sub: turkey or chicken sausage)
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced, Italian-style tomatoes, juices and all*
- 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 (19 oz.) bag frozen cheese tortellini (sub: gluten-free tortellini or bowtie pasta)
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, cut into cubes (do not use low-fat)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
*If using plain diced tomatoes, add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried basil to the soup.
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Instructions
- Brown Sausage: In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium high heat until there is no more pink showing, about 4 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Slow Cook Soup: Add the sausage, diced tomatoes (juices and all), and chicken broth into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Then, turn to HIGH. Stir in the spinach and frozen tortellini, replace the lid, and cook for about 30-45 more minutes, until warmed through (check a tortellini to make sure it’s very warm in the middle).
- Temper & Add Cream Cheese: Place the cubes of cream cheese in a glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 10-second increments until softened, stirring in between. Then, use a ladle or dry measuring cup to add a little of the hot soup liquid to the cream cheese. Stir until fully combined and smooth. Then, stir the cream cheese into the soup until blended smoothly.
- Serve: Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Soup will thicken as it sits. Serve warm.
Notes/Tips
Softening Cream Cheese: Step 3 in the recipe is important. Otherwise the cream cheese will not fully melt in the soup and leave little curdles. If you don’t have a microwave, try this water bath method.
Flavor Boost: One reader mentioned that she likes to add fresh, chopped basil for more flavor at the end. Chopped parsley or chives would also enhance the flavor.
Tip for Picky Eaters: If your kids don’t like the chunks of tomato, blend them up first and then add. Or use canned pureed tomatoes instead.
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free tortellini or bowtie pasta in Step 3. Check it sooner, to make sure it doesn’t get overdone.
Substitutions/Variations:
-
- Ground Italian pork sausage – You can sub ground turkey or chicken sausage.
-
- Petite-diced, Italian-style tomatoes – If using plain diced tomatoes, add a dash of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and dried basil to the soup.
-
- Fresh Spinach – Kale will work instead.
-
- Cream cheese – A sub can be sour cream or whipping cream instead, although the soup will be a little thinner. Be sure stir a little of the soup into the sour cream in a separate bowl first to make sure it doesn’t separate when added to crock pot.Â
Recipe Updates: On 10/5/22, we retested and updated this soup recipe so that it can work as an all-day slow cooker meal. We also wanted to make sure the spinach kept its color and the cream cheese melted well into the soup. We think this new method/recipe works much better!
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Really love this easy recipe but because it’s just the two of us I find it disappointing it doesn’t freeze well.
★★★★
Hi Nancy! Yeah, this is one of the recipes we don’t recommend freezing. While many of the recipes on our site do freeze well, we still have some recipes that are just too easy/tasty to not share. We are glad you enjoy the recipe.
Best recipes ever
★★★★★
Aw, thanks Sue! We appreciate your support.
Woah, baby. This soup was fantastic! The only change I made was I doubled the broth and made it in the Instant Pot. So easy and so delicious!
★★★★★
Wow! What a fantastic review Emily. Thank you for taking the time to tell us what you think and for letting others know of your changes and how it turned out.