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This easy Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup is the ultimate slow cooker comfort food. Loaded with savory sausage, tender pasta, and fresh spinach in a rich, creamy tomato broth, it’s a hearty and comforting dinner that will be waiting for you when you walk through the door!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Made this for the first time today. Perfect soup for a cold rainy day in December. For any day really. Family loved it.” – Marie
“So easy to make and so delicious!!! I can see this as a frequent meal in my household. Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfection.” – Kathy
“I made this soup this week and it is awesome. It is definitely on the keeper list. I shared this with a couple friends and they really enjoyed this soup too. So, I also have shared it with friends. Absolutley worth making!” – Leslie
A Rich, Creamy Soup the Whole Family Will Love
You know it’s going to be a good night when the house smells like creamy tortellini soup simmering away in the kitchen. On chilly evenings, we grab our coziest sweaters, slice up some warm bread, and settle in around the table. Conversation flows easily, and no one is in a hurry to leave.
This easy crockpot tortellini soup has become one of our favorite slow cooker dinners, filled with tender cheese tortellini, savory Italian sausage, and fresh spinach in a rich, creamy tomato base that warms you from the inside out. It’s the kind of cozy, make-ahead meal that turns an ordinary weeknight into one of those “remember when…” family dinners. And the best part is walking in the door to dinner already done!
🩷 Echo
Table of Contents
- 5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- A Rich, Creamy Soup the Whole Family Will Love
- Ingredients in Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Additional Ingredients or Substitutions
- Step by Step Instructions
- No Crockpot? No Problem!
- What to Serve with Creamy Tortellini Soup
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Soups to Try
- Creamy Tortellini Soup Recipe
Ingredients in Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup
Toss all of these simple ingredients into the slow cooker and dinner will be ready in no time! Here’s what you need for this easy soup:
- Italian sausage – about one pound. Brown in a medium pan on the stovetop, then drain and add to the soup.
- Cheese Tortellini – you can use fresh tortellini or frozen. Switch it up and try spinach or meat-filled tortellini.
- Fresh spinach – I like to use fresh baby spinach leaves, about 15 ounces. The spinach will wilt down as it cooks.
- Italian style diced tomatoes – Find these canned tomatoes in the canned foods aisle, and make sure to drain the juice before adding to the soup.
- Cream cheese – one (8-ounce) brick, softened and cut into chunks. This gives the soup lots of creamy texture without adding heavy cream.
- Broth – You can use chicken broth, beef broth or even vegetable broth for this recipe. You can also use homemade chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth.
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
Additional Ingredients or Substitutions
Fore more flavor or different textures, try adding any of these ingredients to your soup:
- Kale in place of spinach
- Minced garlic and diced onion, cook these along with the sausage or sauté separately until onions become soft
- Diced carrots, celery, or other veggies such as zucchini or squash
- Fresh basil, oregano, thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese
- Tomato sauce
- For a vegetarian variation, use mushrooms instead of sausage and substitute vegetable stock for chicken broth.
- If you like your food spicy, add a few shakes of red pepper flakes to the crock pot before cooking.
- Swap out the pork sausage for turkey sausage or even shredded chicken
- Non or low fat cream cheese for an even healthier option. Just a warning though: Neufchatel (⅓ fat of cream cheese) doesn’t melt as well and leaves little curds.
Step by Step Instructions
- Brown the Sausage & Add to Slow Cooker
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until fully browned. Drain any excess grease, then transfer it to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Cook & Serve
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–6 hours, stirring occasionally if possible. Stir well before serving, then ladle into bowls and enjoy.
No Crockpot? No Problem!
Making tortellini soup without a crock pot is easy and can be done on the stovetop in just a few simple steps. Start by cooking the sausage in a large pot until cooked through. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat until the cheese tortellini is cooked to al dente. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and any desired herbs or seasonings for added flavor. Serve the soup hot and enjoy its comforting and cheesy goodness!
What to Serve with Creamy Tortellini Soup
This hearty crockpot tortellini soup pairs well with simple sides that balance its rich, comforting flavors. Whether you want something warm and crusty for dipping or something fresh and crisp for contrast, here are some delicious ideas:
- Garlic Bread: Warm, buttery garlic bread is perfect for soaking up every last spoonful of that creamy tomato broth. For something extra indulgent, try loaded garlic bread or hot and cheesy garlic bread.
- Crusty Baguette: A rustic baguette or artisan loaf adds the perfect chewy texture and is ideal for sopping up the soup.
- Breadsticks: You can never go wrong with breadsticks and cheese tortellini soup! Try our easy breadsticks or our homemade breadtwists!
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: For the ultimate comfort food pairing, serve this soup with a classic grilled cheese sandwich. To kick it up a notch, try this tortellini soup with our Margherita grilled cheese sandwich. YUM!
- Side Salad: Lighten things up with a fresh garden salad topped with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a zesty vinaigrette.
- Caesar Salad: A creamy and tangy Caesar salad complements the creamy tortellini soup and provides a perfect balance of tastes.
- Antipasto Platter: Add variety with olives, marinated artichokes, cheeses, salami, and other Italian-inspired bites for a simple but impressive spread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soups with cream cheese don’t always freeze well because they can separate, which leads to a grainy texture. For best results, refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy the soup within three to five days.
Yep, both fresh and frozen cheese tortellini work well in this crockpot tortellini soup. If using frozen, you may need to add a little extra cooking time to ensure the pasta is tender.
You can use turkey sausage, shredded chicken, or even mushrooms for a vegetarian option. Italian sausage adds the most flavor, but the recipe is flexible.
More Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Soups to Try
This Crockpot Creamy Tortellini Soup is everything you want in a cozy, easy dinner. It’s rich, hearty, and made effortlessly in the slow cooker. If you give it a try, I’d love for you to leave a comment and a star rating to let me know how it turned out in your kitchen! 🥣💛
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 16 ounces cheese tortellini
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
- 29 ounces Italian style diced tomatoes, well drained
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a skillet until fully cooked. Drain the grease from the sausage and place all ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally if possible.
- Stir well and serve in individual bowls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I make this at least once a month. Everyone loves it, even my younger grandchildren and great grandchildren. I don’t change a thing.
So glad you like it! It’s the perfect winter soup!
I make this soup exactly how it is written but I do it on the stove top it is very quick and the most delicious soup I’ve ever had thank you for the recipe
Wow, thanks so much for the nice comment! Thanks for sharing how you made it work on the stovetop!
If I use chicken for this soup, do I cook the chicken first?
If you are doing chicken, dice it first (uncooked) and layer it on the bottom of the crockpot and then add the rest of the ingredients. It will just cook along with everything else! You can keep it whole and shred it after it is cooked through if you want, I just like dicing it first so I don’t have to deal with shredding later.
Are these frozen or fresh tortellini? Thank you.
You can use either one. I used frozen in this recipe. When I use fresh I add the tortellini about 1 hour before serving. Hope this helps!
We really liked this. Very flavorful and easy. I used refrigerated fresh tortellini and added it 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time in the slow cooker (glad I didn’t add it at the beginning or it definitely would have been mushy.) I did find that my cream cheese didn’t fully melt, and I did use full fat cream cheese. I used an immersion blender a little before adding the tortellini (didn’t fully blend it but it did make the spinach, tomato, and sausage pieces smaller and blended in the remaining cream cheese.) Delicious!
Why does the recipe start with put all ingre In the slow cooker” then say “don’t add tortellini to the soup too soon”? Maybe that should be written in reverse order and say how long to wait before adding the tortellini.
Thank you for pointing out this discrepancy! We will change that now – thank you!
Made this for the first time today. Perfect soup for a cold rainy day in December. For any day really. Family loved it.
We are thrilled you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your comment and review!
I haven’t tried it yet, but I know it will be tasty. I need to know when to put the tortellini
in so I don’t over cook it.
I have made this soup many times & add a container of Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese in addition to the regular cream cheese and add an extra can of tomatoes. I also use an immersion blender (prior to adding Tortellini) to create a creamy bisque to incorporate the ingredients. It’s always a hit at potlucks. I don’t put the Tortellini in until about 30 minutes before serving so they don’t get overcooked. This also freezes well.
Thank you!
Very disappointed. I left this cook all day with the tortellini since that’s what the directions in the recipe say, and it came out total mush. The cream cheese never melted either and upon mixing it became crumbly, and I used full fat cream cheese. Not sure if I’ll try again.
I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you! It sounds like it was overcooked. The soup is meant to cook on low for 4-6 hours, not all day. This is probably what caused the tortellini to overcook and the cream cheese to become crumbly.
Delicious! Easy to make.