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 ground Italian sausage or ground chicken, turkey or beef, browned
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder or chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups beef broth or chicken or vegetable broth -- I use low sodium
- ¼ cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in ¼ 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 ⅓ 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
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?
Crystal says
That’s just the first part…it takes about another hour after that! I love this recipe I’m making it right now it’s my 5th time..we love it!
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.!
Dancingfatcat says
I doubled this recipe and filled it to the top of my 7 quart Crock-Pot. I used spicy sausage and better than bouillon instead of the cubes. It came out perfect! I can tell you this was a big hit at my house because this is the first time ever that my large family has completely emptied a crock the very first night! As I always make extra for the next days leftover 🙂 I wish there was a way I could post a picture.
sp says
some people don’t eat meat so why not use a substitution instead? they made one amendment to the recipe and suddenly its a whole new one? stop accusing every review of being a different recipe when they are just sharing what worked for them.
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!