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Slow Cooker Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup

Rich and creamy slow cooker soup with Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and fresh spinach that feeds a crowd with minimal effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage browned (or ground chicken/turkey/beef)
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp beef or chicken bouillon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 cups broth beef, chicken or vegetable
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
  • 36 oz evaporated milk or half-and-half
  • 12 oz cheese tortellini fresh or dried
  • 5 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup milk plus more as needed

Equipment

  • 6-quart Slow Cooker
  • large skillet
  • whisk

Method
 

  1. Place browned Italian sausage in slow cooker along with chopped onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, bouillon, and salt. Pour in broth and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours until vegetables are tender and flavors have developed.
  3. Remove lid and skim any fat from the surface. Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until smooth, then stir into soup along with evaporated milk or half-and-half.
  4. Add cheese tortellini, cover, and cook on high for 45 minutes until tortellini is tender and soup has thickened. Stir once halfway through if possible.
  5. Stir in baby spinach and let wilt for 5-10 minutes with lid on until bright green and wilted.
  6. Add 1 cup milk and stir well. Add additional milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired creamy consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve hot with crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Soup thickens as it sits, so add milk or broth when reheating. Reheat on stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Freezing: Can freeze base through step 3 before adding milk and tortellini. Thaw and continue recipe when ready to serve. Substitutions: Use ground turkey, chicken, or beef instead of Italian sausage. Fresh or dried tortellini both work. For vegetarian, omit meat and use vegetable broth. Make-Ahead: Brown sausage the night before and refrigerate. Prepare base in slow cooker, then add tortellini and finish in last hour before serving.