Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup is pure comfort food, loaded with vegetables, Italian sausage and cheese tortellini! NO flour and NO heavy cream!
This Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup is one of my favourite recipes! Loaded with carrots, celery and spinach, soft pillows of cheese tortellini PLUS incredible flavours, this soup is thick and creamy without heavy cream OR a roux to get the thick and creamy texture.
Tortellini Soup
Another day… another slow cooker recipe! I’m so excited about this soup! You all know how much of a fan I am of converting heavy cream recipes into lower calorie ones when carbs are involved.
This is one of those quick to throw together recipes. Dump all ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning, and come home to your house smelling like a gourmet restaurant with a warm bowl of soup to south your soul!
HOW DO YOU MAKE TORTELLINI SOUP?
- Italian sausage gives this soup an amazing flavour BUT you CAN substitute it with plain and simple ground meats (ground chicken, turkey or beef sausage). For vegetarian options, leave the meat out all together.
- Dried three cheese tortellini is the best tortellini to use for this soup. You can also use fresh tortellini, just keep an eye on it as it doesn’t need as long to cook as dried. Any flavour is fine!
- The thick and creamy texture comes from a mixture of evaporated milk, cornstarch and milk. I found this mixture yielded the best results, but you can of course substitute with heavy cream if you wish.
- Veggies such as carrots, celery and spinach provide the best flavours. You could also add pumpkin, sweet potato, kale, zucchini, etc!
Pasta Soup
One of the BEST SOUPS I’ve ever tasted. The best part being it cooks while you’re NOT EVEN HOME! THIS is why I’m excited. Because coming home from a long day to find a bowl of comfort already done for you, and only needing a couple extra additions before serving? Priceless!
MORE TORTELLINI SOUP RECIPES
Minestrone
Creamy Tomato
Chunky Beef Sauce
SOUPS
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup (No Cream)
10-Minute White Bean Parmesan Spinach Soup
TORTELLINI SOUP ON VIDEO
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) ground Italian sausage (or ground chicken, turkey or beef), browned*
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder (or chicken)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth -- I use low sodium)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in 1/4 cup water
- 36 ounces evaporated milk or half and half
- 12 ounce packet three cheese tortellini (I used dried not fresh; choose any flavour you like)
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, beef bouillon powder, salt, and broth in a 6-quart / litre slow cooker bowl. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
- Uncover and skim any fat that is sitting on the top of the soup with a spoon; discard. Stir in the cornstarch mixture with the evaporated milk (or half and half or cream). Add the tortellini and mix well. Cover again and cook on HIGH heat setting for a further 45 minutes until the soup has thickened, and the tortellini is soft and cooked through.
- Add in the spinach, pressing the leaves down to completely submerse into the liquid. Cover again for a further 5-10 minutes until the leaves have wilted.
- Pour in milk in 1/3 cup increments, as needed, to reach your desired thickness and consistency (I needed 1 cup); taste test and season with extra salt ONLY if needed, and pepper to suit your tastes.
- Serve with crusty warmed bread
Shannon says
This soup is amazing, I’ve made it so many times! This last time I used ground turkey with an Italian sausage seasoning mixed throughout to make it healthier and I think I like it even more!! I never add the bouillon or milk and it’s perfect. ❤️
Amy says
I give this 100 stars! We got our first snow yesterday here in Iowa and I needed some comfort food. This soup is AMAZING. I made it exactly as the recipe called for and it was fantastic. In a house of picky eaters, everybody loved it and we will definitely be adding this to the winter rotation.
Jenn Z says
Family loved it! I got the, “wow you gotta make this more often!” Five year old even ate the spinach! Miracle dinner and easy to make!
Eva says
Hi Karina,
Love you recipes, and this looks great too.
So where I live, they only sell sweetened condensed milk. I’m guessing thats not great for a soup.
Can I also use something like coconut cream instead you think? This has some thickness to it too..?
Hope you have some ideas 🙂
Thanks for all your great work, most of our fav foods come from your site!
Cheers, Eva
Karina says
Hi Eva. Coconut cream, evaporated milk, thickened cream or whipping cream would work well. I don’t suggest condensed milk.
Danielle says
How long do you cook the first round of ingredients before adding in the tortellini? It says four hours, but is that In total or just the first part?
Angelina says
I love love love this recipe!! One of the best soups I’ve ever had! I added mushrooms to the soup and it turned out amazing and used fresh tortellini. I also instead of using chicken, beef or vegetable broth, I used chicken bone broth and it tasted amazing!
Lyn says
This soup was absolutely delicious! I used frozen tri-color tortellini and added it after 2 hours on low. I also sautéed the spinach in garlic and added it after 6 hours along with the evaporated milk and cornstarch mixture. Then I turned it to high for 45 minutes. I skipped adding milk at the end because the mixture was perfect! This will definitely become a family favorite.
Kaleen says
I have been making this recipe from your page for a couple years now so I thought I better post how delicious it is as I will be making it again today!
The only change I make is I do use fresh tortellini and I use beef instead of cheese! I cut the tortellini cooking time down to 15-20 min when added to the Crock Pot.
This recipe has been forwarded many times to family and friends who love it! It’s the perfect soup for a cold snowy evening.
Joseph Nastasi says
Delicious, we used our instant pot and done in less than an hour. Substitute 7 hour slow cook time for 10 minutes on high pressure. then when adding noodles instead of 45 minutes, 5 minutes high pressure. Same result and following directions in same order.
Paula Frolka says
Joseph, I am interested in doing this in my IP, as well. May I ask if you used quick release both times, or natural release? Also, did you use the dried tortellini, or fresh? Thank you for any information.
Thanks in advance,
Paula
Hanna says
Can I use fresh tortellini? What are the time adjustments when using the fresh instead of dry?
SusieJo Miyanaga says
This soup is cooking in my new InstaPot Multicooker as I type this. (I didn’t realize it’s not a full-on actual InstaPot pressure cooker, but I still love it.) I kept envisioning this with a tomato base, so I added about half a jar of some roasted garlic pasta sauce we had. My kids hate tomato chunks but don’t mind tomato flavor. ??♀️ I liked the way it tasted with this addition just before I added the tortellini! So, hopefully, we’ll all be happy. I was a bit confused about so much cornstarch. I could not even begin to combine it when I added the cornstarch to the water all at once, even using hot water. So I started over and added a little bit at a time. I didn’t really measure the cornstarch or water, but it’s *about* what the recipe called for. I’m a bit nervous about this, but it won’t affect taste, just consistency, so I think it will be fine. Thank you so much for posting this! We’re having a surprise cool and rainy day here in Portland, Or (I’m probably the only one surprised) after a streak of HOT weather, so making this tonight is perfect! ❤️
Shug says
My mom said to always use cold water and cornstarch, and I always shake it in a jar to dissolve and then add a ladleful of the hot liquid to the jar and shake one more time. Then when I add it sets up quickly. Give it a try.
DR says
That’s literally not even the same recipe.
Casey says
This was super delicious. I made it with vegetarian sausage and in truth, I wish I had left it out. I don’t even think this needs any kind of meat to be delicious. I also think one could cook up some bacon and then add this to the soup and it would be amazing. Lastly, I left mine thick… Didn’t even add milk and it was so good. You could also serve this cold/at room temp as a pasta salad of sorts. This is a really versatile and delicious recipe. 🙂
DR says
Actually the point of the recipe is to use the sausage as a primary infused ingredient. So not adding it is a different recipe.
Lona says
Don’t worry, I am vegan, and they make some very delicious vegan Italian sausage.!
John says
Is 1/4 cup corn starch to 1/4 cup of water correct? Cooking novice and never used that much starch.
Misty says
How do I cook this on the stovetop? Do you add all ingredients except for tortellini and cream, cook for 2 hours, and then add the noodles and cream/milk?
Karina says
Hi Misty. Cook ingredients (except for tortellini and cream) for 30 minutes. Then add in your pasta and cream and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking.
Jennifer says
Made this in 30 min on the stove, delish! I’m sure it’s better slow cooking but I didn’t have time. Love it!
Hayden says
My husband doesn’t like carrots or celery so I used cherry tomatoes instead along with spinach. It was amazing!! One of the best soups I’ve ever had.
dawn says
just wondering if i have to use cornstarch
Patricia McDougall says
Anybody else have trouble getting it to thicken?
Karen says
I’ve made this soup severa times and everyone loves it! Except that this past time I made it and it began to separate. I’ve never had that happen before. It doesn’t taste bad, just doesn’t look appetizing. Ideas as to why this may have happened?
Karina says
I’m not really sure Karen? That’s so odd?
Mendy says
Did you skim the fat off and temper the cornstarch/cream mixture?
Susan Braga says
I hope this comes out okay because I added everything into crockpot except tortellini, baby spinach and milk, will it be okay??
Karina says
Sorry I just saw this. How did it turn out?
J says
You need to add the cream/milk/etc. last, otherwise the dairy separates at high heat
Elaine says
Made this for my family. They loved it. My granddaughter had the recipe sent to her I-phone. Karen I warmed the evaporated milk before I added it to the pot. Added a little cream too also heated.
Kathy Holmes says
I add the cornstarch and water before the evaporated milk. It seems to incorporate better.
Lawson says
How many cups is one serving for the nutrition facts?
Karina says
One cup for each serving. Hope that helps! XO
Jeri says
Yum!! Made in the InstantPot, took about 20 minutes, added about 1/2 tsp nutmeg at the end. Picky and adventurous kids liked it equally. A keeper!
Sara says
I just bought an Instapot. Never used before. How did you do this recipe?
Kati says
I’d like to know specifics in the instant pot as well! I LOVE using mine.
Terra Shepherd says
Did you throw it all together in the instapot??
Amy says
Could you please post how you did this in the instant pot? I love this recipe and love my instant pot…would love to try it in there! Thanks!!
Sara says
I don’t know how she did it, but if I were making in my pressure cooker I would saute veggies in olive oil, add the sausage and brown, add in broth and seasonings and cook on soup setting for 15 minutes or so. Release pressure, add in corn starch mixture and evaporated milk or half and half and cook until I get desired thickness. In order to get liquids to thicken with corn starch or flour you have to cook it at a high enough temperature. I would add in spinach at the end and cook another 5 minutes or so.
Morgan Bonczek says
Would the slow cooker function on the InstantPot work the same way a traditional slow cooker doing it a lower temp for a longer period of time? I just mine today and havent even opened the box but want to make this recipe this weekend
Sue says
Has anyone ever put broccoli in this? Would I add this along with the other veggies?
Clare Sammut says
Hi! Just came across this and it looks great. 2 questions pls:
What does browned mean? Do I cook the meat before?
What is beef bouillon? Is it like the Knorr cube?
Thanks!
Karina says
Browned means to cook the meat before and brown all the edges of the meat.
Beef bouillon is similar to beef broth just in a cube condensed. You can find it but the soup or baking isle in some grocery stores. Hope that helps! XO
Samantha says
I accidentally added the milk mixture at the beginning of the cooking process, will this effect the overall outcome of the soup?
Any recommendations of a “reversal” so the soup still stays creamy?
Karina says
No, you are great! It will be a little different but still taste amazing! XO
Patricia E Davis says
Please, someone give an answer. I looked and looked through the comments and couldn’t find the answer but the question several times.
Can This Be Frozen???
Once I get the answer I’m going to make this delicious sounding recipe
Thanks
Karina says
Oh, yes! This is great frozen! Enjoy! XO
Courtney Schaan says
Question- If I only bought cold tortellini instead of Dry, how much do I reduce the cooking time ?
Karina says
You will want to watch it so it does not over cook. I would recommend cooking it until it is tender.
gayle alvey says
I bought frozen, hope it works well. Making this today
Audrey says
How long did you end up cooking it with the fresh tortellini? I’m making this soup today, and I have the fresh pasta as well. I’d love to know how yours turned out!
Bob DeCanio says
I must tell you…this recipe rocks! We have made many of the recipes you post and probably 95% of them are excellent.
Keep it up Katrina!
Karina says
AW! That is so sweet of you! I am so glad that you loved it! Thank you so much for comment and following along with me! XO
Alicia says
Everyone at my house loves this – and that’s a rarity. Delish!!
Jamie says
Total hit at my house! I forgot to skim off the fat. I used 32 ounces of half and half, only because that was the biggest size. The tortellini took 1 hour to cook. Served with red pepper flakes & parm. It was amazing!!!
Kathy says
This soup is outrageously delicious!!!!!!!!! I have made it both in the crock pot and stove top. Comes out great either way. To lighten it up I use chicken Italian sausage, chicken broth and chicken bouillon. I also use fat free evaporated milk and fat free milk. It is still very rich and creamy! In fact I sent a crockpot full with my husband to work today for a charity soup and chili cook off. He thinks he’ll win! I sure hope so, it is delicious!
renee says
hey kathy I plan to make this soup tonight on the stove top, did you do anything different when you used the stove vs crockpot?
Sara says
How would I convert this to a stove top recipe. I don’t have a large enough crockpot but do have a Dutch oven.
Karina says
Yes, cook on the stovetop on low-medium for about 2 hours and then at the end of it all cooked you will want to add in the noodles.
Sara says
I cooked in about 45 minutes on my stovetop. Saute veggies in oil, add ground sausage and brown, add broth and seasonings. Cook for 15 minutes or so, add cornstarch mixture and half and half. Cook until thickened, add milk to desired thickness, add spinach.
Darlene says
I cannot seem to bring the recipe up
Karina says
Hi! I’m so sorry about this. It seems to be a technical issue on mobile only and we are working on it right now. The recipes are on desktop if you need them urgently! Hopefully we will have all recipes up again soon! Thank you for your patience! Karina X
Dennis says
Very good! I made it with spicy Italian sausage and used half and half, I would definitely make this again!
Karina says
Thank you for sharing your feedback Dennis!
Nancy says
Made this for supper tonight and it was delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!! I used hot Italian sausage and cheese tortellini. I did add a little fresh basil at the end and we loved it!
Karina says
MMM! That sounds delicious! I am so glad that you enjoyed it and made it your own. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sara says
I made this soup this weekend and it’s DELICIOUS! I cooked the tortellini separately so leftovers don’t continue to absorb the liquid in the fridge. Do you think this soup would freeze well?
Karina says
I am so glad that you made it and loved it! I haven’t tried freezing it but you are always welcome to try. Let me know it goes!
Lauren says
I only used 2 x tins of evaporated milk and it was perfect consistency! 3 seemed like a lot so I thought I would leave the last one and add at the end if I needed – but I didn’t.
Yummy
Christine says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Would it be possible to omit the evaporated milk/half & half?
Karen says
Yes, you can. You can substitute the dairy with any non dairy milk, such as Coconut or Almond milk etc.
Juliane says
Yes, if you want more of a broth base. It’s a very flexible soup.
Carole says
OMG! This is one of the tastiest recipes that I have tried recently. This will most definitely make into our repeat rotation. I followed the recipe as directed and it turned out great.
William Kelly says
Great Recipe. Made today ..My Complements to the Originator of this Recipte…Bk..
Casha says
I made this tonight in my crockpot. I did alter it just slightly… I used a mixture of evaporated milk and heavy cream (because that’s what I had) and added some baby bella mushrooms, but that’s it. It. Was. Amazing! I didn’t have to add the extra milk at the end as it didn’t thicken as much as I thought (maybe due to the milk mixture I used). It was the perfect consistency already. Huge with my picky eaters (I have 5). This will definitely be a regular in our house for cold winter nights. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Cindi Million says
I’ve made this before but can’t remember Is three cans correct for the evaporated milk?
Making this weekend.
Ashley says
I have made this recipe 3 times so far on stovetop with all listed ingredients (minus buiellon powder).. HUGE HIT. My crowd claims it’s their favorite meal I’ve ever made (especially with these cold temperatures!). They like it so much that I had to double the recipe the last time…and the “leftovers” hardly made it to the next day. This is surely a new winter staple in my house! Thank you!
Shelley says
I added mushrooms and it tasted great !
marissa says
Excited to try this out! I plan on taking this to a crockpot competition for New Years Eve!! I’m wondering how much this recipe “as is” makes because a LOT of people will be sampling. I have a 7 Qt. crockpot and would like to to be FULL! Any suggestions? Should I make an extra half batch? Follow as-is? Double? Thanks in advance!!
Kayla says
Hmmm… just read the dreid tortellini. I have fresh! Hopefully still turns out right. Maybe I will see if they are ready sooner…. hopefjlly it wont matter!
Celeste says
Has anyone added mushrooms to the recipe…
Cristin says
I didn’t see the video until after I threw it all together in the crock pot. I think I have way more onion that was pictured – it’s hard to figure out onion size when it just says “1 onion”…I hope it’s still good…
Karina says
This recipe is very forgiving with onion sizes. I hope it worked out well for you!
Tammy says
This soup was great. I just made it today. I added 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 tsp of chili powder. I forgot to give it 5 stars on my original comment.
Karina says
Thank you Tammy! I love your additions 🙂
Tammy says
I loved this recipe. I did it on the stove top. I added 2 small cans of diced tomatoes and 1tsp chili powder. It was delicious.
Pattie says
Want to know if this freezes well? Made it today and it was awesome. Went by your recipe.
jp says
Has anyone used almond or coconut milk in this recipe?
Joseph says
Highly Recommended!!! It passed my test kitchen. This recipe is a keeper. I prepared it in my Ninja cooking system last night, which doubles as a stove top (to brown the meat) and as a slow cooker. I, too, initially shared the common concern of many posters: Is this recipe really asking for 3 cans (12 oz. ea.) of condensed milk? Yes, it does. What may seem like a lot really is not when you add the evaporated milk – you’ll see why. It’s the right amount. Also, the last cup of milk is used to obtain desired thickness – but I think in reverse. The soup is already thick by then, and the milk helps thin it out more. I used the whole 1 cup. I used ground mild sausage, and everyone loved it. One person, though, who’s more sensitive than others to spice/heat, thought that the 1 lb. ground sausage built up heat over the course of eating. This could be. Next time, I might make this with 1/2 lb.ground mild sausage and 1/2 pound ground lean beef, as I’ve done in other dishes. I also added some parsley at the end, and I too used dried tortellini, which was great.
Janet says
Just made this last night. Absolutely delicious! Used low sodium chicken broth. Did not change up the recipe except to leave out the bullion cube- I felt it didn’t need it and it didn’t. I also cooked it on top of the stove so it took less time-ready in less than 2 hours. It got very,very thick. But it’s an easy fix. Just add milk when reheating. This is a great comfort food. Great for fall/winter.
Karina says
Hi Janet! I love your method!
Carrie says
This soup is absolutely amazing!!! My husband couldn’t get enough of it.
Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Veronica Kings says
I’m craving this tonight. Has anyone tried a non crock pot version? Wondering how it came out. Thank you.
Jill says
delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly (3 cans evaporated milk) and it was a huge hit!! Thank you!
Brittany says
Are you able to freeze this recipe and reheat in crockpot?
Karen says
This is amazing! I have made it several times and, leftovers? What’s that? My kids fight over the last bowl !! I use ground chicken with a spice mix from Pensky’s called “Krakow Nights” (polish seasoning) and it’s amazing!
Question: if it calls for 3 12oz cans of evap milk or 1/2 & 1/2, does that mean you need 36 oz (4 1/2 cups) of 1/2 & 1/2 ? Seems like a lot. Last time it didn’t thicken and it was way too runny (family loved it anyway, but looking to make it a bit more thick).
Katherine says
My husband and I enjoyed this soup! I used ground turkey in mine and it turned out great!
Cathleen says
This is the best soup I’ve ever made or eaten! It is so very easy to make too. I’ve made it a few times at home, and I’ve made it for a potluck to take to church and another at work. I did not have a drop left to bring home either time!! I made it pretty close to the recipe with the exception of I reduced the amount of Italian seasoning to 2 teaspoons when using Italian sausage…it was just too strong for us. Also, I could only find a 20 oz package of tortellini, so rather than saving a few ounces out, I used the entire package. It was perfect! I’ve made another soup from this site that was good…creamy chicken noodle soup. Your website is my go-to when I need a great recipe. Thanks!!
lisa says
Absolutely amazing. So incredibly good. My 15 year old son said he would eat the everyday he loved it soo much!!!! And I agree!!! Can’t wait to make again and again.
Karina says
Hi Lisa! That’s so awesome I’m so happy he liked it!
Elizabeth Phillips says
This was absolutely delicious! I followed it to the T and it was perfect as well as simple! Someone already said it was company worthy in taste and appearance…..So true!
Pennie says
I just chopped up 2 stalks of celery and put it in my slow cooker. the 4 cups of broth didn’t look like enough liquid, so I watched the video. In the video it looked more like 2 ribs of celery. Is is supposed to be 2 stalks or 2 ribs?
Bill Hiney says
I made this last night and my wife and I loved it. I’m really glad you gave the editorial comment about the flavor of the Italian sausage. Although my wife is really not a fan of pork sausage I used it without telling her. She really enjoyed the flavor.
My question….from the recipe and description I anticipated it would be thicker. Mine was really very “soupy” or “soup-like”. I followed everything to the letter and used half-n-half. Did I miss a step or was I expecting it to be too thick? Regardless, it was a winner and has been added to my permanent electronic recipe site.
Dawn says
I am making this right now, can’t wait to see how it turns out!! Office birthday potluck!
I changed a couple things, no carrots or celery, double sausage and tortillin, added real bacon bits and diced tomatoes. I’m going to make it a little on the thicker side, like a pasta. Using chicken broth and bouillon, and chose evaporated milk. Will add the tortillin an hour before and spinach ten min before serving, at the office!!
Also, Will top with Parmesan at the end!! Yummy yummy yummy!!
Janie says
I made this tonight. Absolutely delicious! Definitely company worthy in appearance and taste. I used chicken broth, and skipped the powdered bouillon since I didn’t have any on hand.
tony kontonasakis says
I am making this tonight and got dried tortellini with cheese out of the bulk section. I think I put too much in so I had to add regular whole milk. I didn’t have any more condensed milk. I’m sure it will still taste great.i guess I could always add more cornstarch to thicken it out if need be. I’m looking forward to dinner tonight. ?
Deborah` says
I used chicken stock and fresh cheese tortellini and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Karina says
Deborah you’re welcome!
Cathy Greaves says
Is this 3 12oz cans of evaporated milk that is used…or just 1?
Karina says
Three cans
Barb Fredricks says
Made this for dinner tonight and it is amazing. I will be trying lots of the other delicious recipes. Thanks
Karina says
Barb I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
Barb says
My App tells me there’s a total of approximately 3,396 calories in this meal, as is (varies by brand, milk type, etc). If you break that into 10 servings you will have approx 339.6 calories per serving. Keeping to serving size is the difficult part. 🙂
Karina says
Thank you for that Barb!
Jules says
Still waiting on an answer about calories, but…OMG is this good! Made it last night for company and everyone RAVED about it! The best flavour – excited to have leftovers for lunch!
Karina says
I’m so happy to hear that Jules! Do you have access to my fitness pal? I find when I calculate calories, our different ingredients tend to give out different results, which effects the end result, so I do encourage my readers to calculate recipes with your own products and ingredients. That way, you know exactly what your eating! I’m so happy to hear you loved this soup! Yay got leftovers!
Jules says
Has anyone figured out the calories/serving? I looked and cannot see them posted anywhere – sorry if I’m just missing it! This is in my slow cooker while I’m at work! Cannot wait to try it.
alecia ramos says
Has anyone used fat free 1/2 and 1/@ in the recipe
Kassie says
I”m making this dish tomorrow and putting in some homemade meatballs I have in the freezer leftover. My meatballs have carrots in them so I know this will be great!! I’ll post review after I try it.
Pamela says
I made this today! House smelled divine coming home after work & it’s delicious!! Has anyone frozen leftovers? Does it freeze well?
Taylor says
Has anyone frozen portions of this? It was great but we have so much
Jeff Brock says
Thank You! This recipe turned out amazing. I embellished as most will, but the original recipe was monumental in bringing “comfort” food back into my home. Should have ended here, but…..bacon, I impulsively added 6 strips of bacon. I feel like I should be ashamed, but after the simmering stopped.
I was left with the” Best” soup/stew/comfort sauce that I had made to date. per. my daughter
Courtney says
I want to make this tonight but don’t have time to do it in the crockpot. Do you have a stove top version of this recipe? Thanks so much! I already bought all the ingredients and I’m ready to go!
Kim says
I see you used dried tortellini in this recipe, do you need to adjust the cooking time at all if using fresh tortellini?
I currently have a batch cooking, smells fantastic, so I’ll find out for myself before you respond to this, just posting the question for others.
Karina says
Hi Kim. Yes fresh would be ready in 10-15 minutes 🙂
Felicia says
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it! Silly question though, could I use cubed beef boullion instead of powdered? My local store doesn’t seem to carry powdered bouillon.
Andrea says
So, where in the grocery store do you find dried tortellini? Or how long would frozen tortellini need to be in the slow cooker???
Pam says
I bought frozen as well and am making it tomorrow. Hope it turns out ok….
Anna Kinsella says
This sounds so yummy!! Was wondering if you would know how to adjust for frozen Tortellini? Thanks!
Tom says
I only have a 3 litre slow cooker, is this big enough? Or do I need to scale down my ingredient amounts used?
Alexis Curtis says
So i don’t have cornstarch…is there a substitution?
Also you mentioned cream…is that heavy whipping cream? If so…how much?
Lisa says
I made this tonight, with some modifications due to what I had on hand, and it was FABULOUS! I used Andouille Sausage and diced boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I cooked it in my Instant pot instead of slow cooked. I had a can of large cream of chicken soup, and added that along with 4 cups of the chicken broth (then skipped the cornstarch and evaporated milk part). I cooked the noodles separately and added per bowl so all the broth wouldn’t be soaked up overnight. My beau was sick today and this is just what the doctor ordered! Served it with fresh home made bread…full and content. Thanks for the recipe!!
Chris says
I want to make this recipe. However I only have a 4 at crockpot. So my options are use that or do it on stove top and use my Dutch oven. Suggestions? Tips? Obviously if I chose to make it in my crockpot the recipe would be different because it is for a 6qt crockpot and I have a 4qt. Thanks!
Susan Brown says
Can I use portabella mushrooms instead of meat? When would you add them? Sauté them first?
Bonnie says
This was a super delicious meal! Any idea of the calorie content in one serving if made exactly as your recipe is listed? Thank you !
Stefanie says
How much is a serving?
Karina says
Stefanie 1 1/2 – 2 cups.
Kerrie Henegar says
I am going to try this! Can you tell me the serving size that will yield the 10 servings you indicated?
Karina says
Hi Kerrie. 1 1/2 cups – 2 cups 🙂
Richard DeJohn says
I’m not the best cook in the world..actually not the best cook on my street so I actually need the amounts of items used in recipes. Is there a place on your site for the tortellini soup that has the actual amounts?
Thank you…I’m anxious to make this…
Karina says
Hi Richard. The amounts are listed in the recipe box. If you click or tap on the ‘CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE’ you will see the entire recipe come up 🙂
Mary says
Does the recipe call for 3 —12 ounce cans of evaporated milk? Or 1 – –12 ounce can? Thank you!
Karina says
Hi Mary. Please note the recipe states 3x 12 ounce cans.
Jerri says
Karina,
I made this recipe tonight and I must say I am pretty proud of myself. I made a few alterations to it and it turned out absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for sharing.
My daughter and I were only able to eat one bowl. Looks like we will be eating tortellini soup for the next week straight.
Jerri
Julie Lewis says
this recipe was ALL THE RAGE at my house tonight. My crazily diverse family ALL loved it and that is saying something. I used Cream of Chicken with Herbs and Cream of Celery as my soups, used Beef Stock instead of broth and used HOT Italian sausage as my meat. I did add quite a kick of crushed red pepper and smaller amounts of black pepper and garlic salt at then end as well as some freshly shredded parmesan as a final ingredient and topper. IT WAS AMAZING and I do not typically GUSH about recipes bc I always change them or find them bland.
this is going to be a sure-fire regular meal at our home. I am so happy with it, i want to invite people over and make it again just to share it.
Whitney Dunagan says
Made this yesterday since I knew I had plans after work…left it on warm for my husband. Got a text from him stating “the soup is sooooo good! On my second bowl”. I would say it was a hit 🙂
Karina says
Yay Whitney!!!
Jamie says
I just made this tonight -and it was awesome! I did a vegetarian version, so I used chopped up spicy veggie sausage patties and vegetable broth. I forgot to buy milk, so I used half a cup of cream. I definitely will be making this again!
Erin says
I made this for dinner tonight and witnessed a small miracle. (Who am I kidding, it was a HUGE miracle!) Both of my children ate it all, no complaints, asked for seconds, and declared it was their new favorite food, even better than pizza. My very picky child ate all of the vegetables.
I made it on the stove, and added an extra cup of broth. I used one can of evaporated milk, a cup of cream and a cup of milk.
It was delicious! Thank you!
Michaela says
How many quarts should my slow cooker be for this amount of servings?
Thanks!
Karina says
6 quarts 🙂
Alexis O'Hara says
Not a spinach fan. Wondering if Kale would be a good substitute?
Karina says
Hi Alexis. Yes, perfect.
Nicole says
I’m using frozen spinach. When is the best time to add it?
Karina says
Nicole you will need to thaw it first to room temperature and at it at the end. Adding frozen spinach will lower the temp of the slow cooker and will cause a longer cook time.
Jose says
I saw a few people mentioned cooking the tortellini separate and storing it separately to keep the noodles from getting mushy. Have you had any experience with that?
Karina says
Hi Jose. No I haven’t tried that and feel we never need too. The Tortellini doesn’t get mushy when we’ve stored it and reheated it! I hope that helps!
Jen M says
Can this soup be made on the stove top instead of a slow cooker?? And do any of the directions change because of it?( creamy tortellini soup)
Karina says
Hi Jen! Yes definitely! Just boil the sausage and veggies for 20 minutes on low heat before adding the rest of the ingredients. Once the Tortellini is soft, add in the spinach, turn off heat, and allow to wilt before serving.
Debbie Taylor says
This soup was a hit with the whole family! Something different for a hearty meal between Christmas and New Years, we will make again for sure
Karina says
I’m so happy to hear that Debbie!
Bev says
Hi! This looks really good, but I was wondering if a few substitutions would work well in this? I don’t care much for celery or onions, would broccoli, zucchini, or bell peppers work? And is regular fat free milk alright or does it need to be evaporated or half and half?
Karina says
Hi Bev! Yes you can use other veggies if you don’t like the ones listed. Bell peppers definitely would give the soup flavour if onion is missing. In regards to the milk, the evaporated milk or half and half add to the thickness of the soup. I’m afraid fat free milk won’t give you a creamy consistency, but you could add a couple tablespoons of extra flour to help with that!
Cumby says
Whatever you do, don’t add raw flour, especially when slow cooking. It needs to be heated with some oil (stove or microwave) and browned a bit or it will both clump up and taste raw in the final soup
Suzanne says
I made a batch of this soup for Christmas dinner. It was outstanding — a huge hit! I then made another batch last night to bring to work to share with the office. For the office batch, I chose chicken sausage (vs. pork as some at work can’t/don’t eat pork) and half-and-half (vs. evaporated milk). It was better than the Christmas batch! This will definitely be added to my recipe box as a go-to comfort soup. Soooo delicious! 🙂
Shawna says
For the cup of milk, could you use almond milk?
Karina says
Hi Shawna. Yes
Alex says
Does this recipe truly serve 10 adults? I want to make this for an easy family dinner that will involve 9 people & do not want to end up short! TIA
Karina says
Hi Alex. Yes it is a he batch enough for 10, but if in doubt, you can always add more tortellini, sausage and cream or milk 🙂
Tyann says
Is there a way to find out the carb count on this recipe?
Karina says
I usually use the my fitness pal app 🙂
robyn carson says
I have fresh mushrooms would like to add . Any feed back. Thank you
Karina says
Fresh mushrooms are fine to add in the last hour of cooking 🙂
John says
I doubled the recipe. Will that affect the time on the slow cooker.i have it on high
Karina says
Hi John. It shouldn’t effect time by too much. Have a look after the suggested time, and if it’s not done, maybe another hour or two should do it!
Carrie says
Delicious!!! Both kids liked it (and that’s saying something for my pickiest eater!) and I love how I have lots leftover.
Do you know if it freezes well?
Carrie says
On step 4 you say to add in the milk 1/3 cup at a time. This is extra on top of the evaporated milk?
I have this cooking now…can’t wait!!
Thanks!
Karina says
Hi Carrie! Yes that’s the extra milk if needed for a thinner consistency. I hope you like it!
Wendy says
This soup was good but cooking longer. Heads up when using frozen tortellini (didn’t read suggestion to thoroughly thaw before adding). It will cool down the temperature considerably and the tortellini won’t be cooked. I usually don’t eat creme based soups as I find them too rich and heavy but this was tasty. Thank you for sharing!
Karina says
Ah Wendy I’m glad it worked out! Yes it’s important to thaw it completely as it will reduce the temperature of the soup considerably. 🙂
Gayle Simpson says
Can you make this soup a day before if you don’t add spinach until the day you serve it?
Karina says
Hi Gayle! Yes that’s fine!
Rhonda Y says
Made this dish today, followed recipe exactly as written and it was absolutely fabulous! But, i cannot find reasonable nutrition info for it anywhere. Besides doing the math from each ingredient, does anyone know or have a link on calories, protein, sodium, and carbs, at the very least?
Shelley R Spillman says
Omg this soup is amazing. My husband and I love it! Thanks for sharing.
Inci @ Bella's Apron says
Great idea! Will save some time in crockpot.
Kerrie says
What is dry tortellini???
Kim says
Hi! Am i reading this right, you use 36oz of evaporated milk or half and half?
Karina says
Hi Kim, yes I exactly! That’s what gives this soup its creamy texture.
Robyn says
How would you make this in a pressure cooker?
Sandi says
I’m confused on how much milk/cream to use. 12 ounces–is that correct?
Karina says
Hi Sandi, it’s 3 cans of milk or cream that weigh 12-ounces each.
Ann Williams says
I will make it to day.
it looks so good.
Francesca says
This soup is out of this world good! So flavorful and hearty! I substituted heavy cream for the evaportaed milk, chicken broth and bouillon instead of beef and used fresh tri color tortellini. The colors made this soup pop. Great as a stand alone meal or side dish for holiday dinners! Thanks for such a great recipe it was hit with the entire family
Sandi says
I made this soup last weekend when single digit temps kept us in the house. I also got out the bread machine and made some crusty french bread. The family went crazy over it. My daughter has been asking for the leftovers for lunch every day since. It smelled so good all afternoon, I could hardly wait for dinner. It was worth the wait and will be a new winter staple in our house. Thank you for sharing and so easy.
Mantra Gayatri says
My whole family enjoyed this delicious dish!!!
Teri says
This soup was fabulous! Easy to make and ingredients that were readily available. No need to add salt. Very flavorful on its own. I used mild Italian sausage. I will probably use even more vegetables (same selections, just more quantity), and fewer tortellini the next time. So easy and so satisfying!
Terri D. says
This looks very good! Just to clarify…you add a total of 36 ounces of evaporated milk? 3 12-ounce cans in all? Thank you.
Miss Rose says
This was delicious, thick and creamy. Used fresh cheese and spinach tortellini. I browned the sausage then rinsed with hot water to get rid of excess fat and used chicken stock as I like the lighter flavor with pork sausage and a spoonful of Better than Bullion. I used low fat evaporated milk due to diet needs…also upped the amount of carrot and celery and doubled the amount of spinach (I have diabetes and need to offset carbs as much as possible) I ran a knife thru 12 oz of fresh baby spinach so they wouldn’t drip off the spoon. Hubby loved this and there was enough for lunch today for me and dinner again tonite. Always a plus at the holiday time not to have to cook again?
Tammy Seaman says
what does 3x 340 grams/ 12 oz cans of evaporated milk mean? Is that saying I need **3** 12 oz cans?
Karina says
Hi Tammy. Yes.
Carole, UK. says
Karina. How on earth are you able to stay so calm when SO many people are asking the exact same question!! The recipe clearly says 3 cans of evaporated milk, (not condensed which, by the way, is very sweet!)
How are you able to NOT shout, READ THE RECIPE!!
You must be so patient, congratulations.
I’m from England, UK, and I’m so glad I found your recipes. Every one I’ve tried has been fabulous! Thank you so much.
By the way, ‘How many cans of milk is needed? ?????
Karina says
Lol lots of deep breaths ?
Kathy says
This was truly delicious. I omitted the bouillon altogether and just used beef broth. I used frozen tortellini. I also used fresh spinach and half & half. I would love to add fresh mushroom next time. I did feel I needed to add extra beef broth and half and half toward the end because it got pretty thick. Maybe because I had to cook it on the stovetop due to time constraints? We made quick, homemade Cheese Drop Biscuits to go with this and it was perfect. My kids said it was better than something at Olive Garden!
Jennifer Jones says
Love this soup! Followed instructions exactly. Big hit in my house. Will definitely make again. Might add a few more carrots next time.
Eunice says
I will make this again but I will use less bullion. A little too much salt for our taste.
Tiffany says
Is it just one can of evaporated milk or three? I am confused on the recipe.
Karina says
Hi Tiffany. It’s 3.
Jenn says
Can you use fat free evaporated milk?? TIA!
Karina says
Hi Jenn. I use full fat to yield creamier results, but you could try 2 cans fat free and one full fat to lower calories!
Teresa Hidalgo says
It’s cooking now…but I just re read the final steps…is is 3- 12 oz of half & half ? or just 1 if it’s 3 what else can I use.? ..
Karina says
Hi Teresa. It’s 3. I hope it turned out ok!
Adelyn says
I’m confused about ingredients… is it three 12 ounce cans of evaporated Milk and one 12 once package of tortellini?
Karina says
Hi Adelyn. Yes.
jennym says
This was very tasty and easy to make. I used half a bouillon cube and omitted the salt and found the flavour perfect.
Dana says
We loved this hearty soup! My guy sent me the link to this recipe (something he has never done before), so I surprised him and made it for dinner last night. Since it was a last minute decision, I made it on the stovetop instead of in the crockpot. It is true comfort food. It is rich, creamy, delicious and filling. For stovetop, I basically followed the steps in the instructions but used my own judgement for cooking times. I used beef broth, frozen spinach instead of fresh and omitted the cup of milk at the end because the soup was at the right consistency for us without it. I’ll be making this often. Thank you for an awesome recipe that I’m adding to my collection of FAVORITES!
Karina says
I’m so happy to here that Dana!
Carol says
I noticed you used dry tortellini . Can you use frozen as well?
Karina says
Hi Carol. Frozen or fresh are fine to use. Thaw out frozen Tortellini before adding them in, and cook until cooked through.
Jen says
This was so delicious! I followed it exactly and it was a hit with my family. Even my picky kids licked their bowls clean!
Joan Dowell says
I agree was a bit salty but just omit the extra salt, this was a great meal!
Kimber says
Great Great recipe! Only thing is that the next time I prepare this meal, I will probably go easy on the bouillon. Although it had great flavor it was a bit on the salty side.
Yvonne says
Do you use frozen tortellini or the fresh?
Sierra says
On my list for this week! Do you use dried tortellini in this recipe? Thanks!
Rene Nortz says
This looks and sounds wonderful. When adding the cornstarch mixture, evaporated milk, and tortellini, should the temp be on high so it will thicken?