Ingredients
– 16 ounces Italian sausage (mild or spicy, bulk meat or sausage removed from casings)
– 1/2 medium onion, chopped
– 4 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 medium carrots, sliced or chopped
– 2 sticks celery, chopped finely
– 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
– 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
– 4 cups chicken broth
– 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
– 3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream (optional)
– 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1-First, prepare all ingredients by chopping the onion, mincing the garlic, and washing the spinach to set yourself up for success.
2-Next, in a skillet, sauté the sausage and onion for about 7-8 minutes, breaking up the meat until browned, and drain excess fat if needed.
3-Then, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before transferring the mixture to the slow cooker.
4-Now, add the carrots, celery, crushed tomatoes with juices, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth to the slow cooker.
5-Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours to let the flavors develop fully.
6-About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the tortellini, cream, and spinach, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
7-Finally, serve it hot, perhaps with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan on top for extra appeal.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍳 Sauté sausage and onion first for deeper flavor; raw sausage can be used but flavor will be less developed.
🥛 Use heavy cream for richness; avoid half-and-half to prevent curdling. Omit cream for a lighter soup.
🌶️ Add spicy sausage or red pepper flakes for extra heat, and add tortellini and spinach at serving time for leftovers to avoid sogginess.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow cooking and sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten-Containing
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 709 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 1814 mg
- Fat: 43 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 127 mg