Description
Creamy slow cooker tomato tortellini soup delivers comfort in each spoonful. Rich cheddar cheese and crispy toast bites complement the hearty Italian-inspired soup for a satisfying meal you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 can (28 oz/793 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cans (10.75 oz/305 g each) condensed tomato soup
- 1 package (20 oz/567 g) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 slices crusty bread (e.g., French baguette)
- 2 tsps Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sausage Preparation: Brown Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat, meticulously crumbling into fine pieces until thoroughly cooked.
- Aromatic Base: In the same skillet, sauté diced onions until translucent, then quickly toast minced garlic for an additional minute.
- Slow Cooker Assembly: Transfer browned sausage, onion-garlic mixture, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, condensed tomato soup, and seasonings into the slow cooker, stirring to combine thoroughly.
- Simmering Process: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Tortellini Integration: 30 minutes before serving, gently incorporate cheese tortellini and heavy cream, continuing to cook on high until pasta reaches perfect tenderness.
- Toast Bites Creation: Preheat oven to 375F, toss bread cubes with melted butter, garlic powder, and dried parsley, then roast until achieving golden, crispy texture.
- Final Presentation: Ladle soup into serving bowls, crown with generous shredded cheddar cheese, and accompany with crispy toast bites as a delightful garnish.
Notes
- Precise Sausage Browning: Ensure sausage is evenly crumbled and deeply browned for maximum flavor development and rich taste profile.
- Smart Onion Technique: Sauté onions until translucent to release natural sugars and enhance overall soup’s depth without burning.
- Cream and Tortellini Timing: Add tortellini and cream only during final 30 minutes to prevent pasta from becoming mushy and maintain perfect texture.
- Toast Bite Crispiness: Watch bread cubes closely during roasting to achieve golden-brown crunchiness without burning, guaranteeing delightful texture contrast in the soup.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1300mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 85mg