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This Crockpot tortellini soup with sausage is a comforting and easy to prepare slow cooker soup! It has Italian sausage, tomatoes, cheese tortellini, a splash of cream, and spinach.

You may also enjoy my Italian Sausage Orzo Soup or this Easy Zuppa Toscana next.

Crockpot tortellini spinach soup with sausage in two bowls

Why you’ll love it

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I’m a big fan of pasta and Italian sausage in soup like in my Lasagna Soup. It’s just such an undeniably tasty combo! In this slow cooker tortellini soup we’ve also got plenty of spinach in a rich tomato broth.

This cozy tortellini soup with sausage is the perfect meal to come home to. Get everything ready in the morning, and then pop the tortellini in while you’re unwinding after work. It’s really easy to make, and this soup will quickly become a family favorite.

What you’ll need

  • Italian sausage – I chose mild. You can buy bulk meat, or take the sausage out of the casings.
  • Onion, garlic, celery, and carrots – the aromatic foundation for many tasty soups. I like to use sweet (Vidalia) onions.
  • Canned tomatoes – we’re using both crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes
  • Chicken broth – for more savory flavor
  • Tortellini – tortellini package sizes vary, so use anything around the amount I suggest. I use the refrigerated kind.
  • Heavy cream – a touch of cream really enhances the texture and taste
  • Spinach – for a pop of freshness and contrast
ingredients for crockpot tortellini sausage soup in prep bowls

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • This is my 7-quart Crockpot slow cooker model.
  • Here’s my favorite skillet for the sautéing step.
  • My trusty can opener works great for the tomatoes, and this garlic press making mincing garlic effortless.

How to make slow cooker tortellini soup with sausage

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

sauteing italian sausage and onions in a skillet and adding to a slow cooker

In a skillet add the sausage and onions, and sauté until the meat is browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Discard any excess fat. Stir in the garlic until fragrant. Transfer the skillet contents to your Crockpot, and add in the celery, carrots, tomatoes, and broth.

a slow cooker with tortellini and italian sausage soup before and after cooking

Cook on low or high depending on your preference. When it’s about half an hour from being done, add in the tortellini, cream, and spinach. Stir occasionally. Season with salt & pepper as needed.

Pro tip

If you really need to, you could skip the step where you sauté the sausage and onion (I have tested similar recipes where I’ve just thrown raw sausage into the slow cooker), but I do recommend that step if possible because it imparts more flavor into this dish. You can also drain some of the fat if needed.

Substitutions and variations

  • I made this a creamy tortellini soup, but, with that said, you can leave the cream out, and it’ll still taste delicious. I don’t recommend subbing for something with a lower fat content like half-and-half because it could curdle, though.
  • Use spicy Italian sausage if you want a little heat to this soup, or add in crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Want to make it on the stovetop? Try my similar Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup.
tortellini soup with sausage in a Crockpot slow cooker

What to serve with this soup

Leftovers and storage

  • Store leftovers of this creamy tortellini soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.
  • Keep in mind that the pasta will soak up the soup the longer you leave it, so if you are reheating leftovers, you may need to add more chicken broth if needed.
  • If you want to make this soup ahead (or freeze it), I suggest waiting to add the tortellini, cream, and spinach until you’re ready to eat it.
close-up of creamy slow cooker tortellini soup with sausage

Hope you’ll love this tortellini soup with Italian sausage! Questions? Don’t hesitate to ask. Please leave a star rating and review below if you made it, or tag me on Instagram.

close-up of creamy slow cooker tortellini soup with sausage
4.93 from 81 votes

Crockpot Tortellini Soup with Sausage

This Crockpot tortellini soup with sausage is a comforting and easy to prepare slow cooker soup! It has Italian sausage, tomatoes, cheese tortellini, a splash of cream, and spinach.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
  • 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/whipping cream optional
  • 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Add the sausage meat and onions to a skillet. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes, breaking the sausage meat up with your spoon, until browned. If needed, spoon out some of the excess fat.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the sausage mixture to your Crockpot.
  • Add the carrots, celery, canned tomatoes, and chicken broth to the Crockpot. Keep in mind that if you want the soup to cook in 3-4 hours, the carrots will have to be chopped pretty finely. If you're cooking it for 7-8 on low or 4-5 hours on high, you can chop them larger.
  • About 30 minutes prior to serving, add in your cheese tortellini, cream, and spinach (I set the heat to "high"). Give it a stir occasionally. Season with salt & pepper as needed prior to serving. 

Notes

  • Use ground sausage meat or whole sausages (take the sausage meat out of the casings). Feel free to use spicy sausage!
  • The leftovers of this soup do soak up the broth a lot, so this soup is best eaten when it’s fresh. I suggest adding more chicken broth to leftovers if you need to. Or, add the tortellini in when reheating if you plan on having lots of leftovers.
  • This is the 7-quart Crockpot I used to make this recipe. My Crockpot was pretty full by the time I added the tortellini. 

Nutrition

Calories: 709kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 1814mg, Potassium: 937mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 5197IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 253mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.93 from 81 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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275 Comments

  1. Catherine says:

    Could frozen tortellini be substituted for refrigerated?

    1. Natasha says:

      You bet! It thaws really fast, so it won’t take that much longer to cook.

  2. Della B Kallina says:

    Delicious ๐Ÿ˜Šmy grandkids 4 & 1 loved it. Easy to make and the house smells amazing.

    1. Natasha says:

      That’s great! thank you, Della!

  3. Nicole Van Name says:

    5 stars
    OMG!!! I made this last night for my roommate and I. I’m my worst critic and usually don’t like what I make on the 1st try, but this recipe was AMAZING!! SO GOOD!! Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to try your other recipes.

    1. Natasha says:

      Yay!! You’re very welcome! Let me know what else you try! ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. Kaylie says:

    5 stars
    EASY and delicious and toddler friendly!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you, Kaylie!

  5. Chris says:

    5 stars
    Easy, fun and delicious!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you so much, Chris!!

  6. Nadine Russell says:

    I like the basic recipe, very good…I added thyme, basil and fennel seed ground up…extra garlic to the sausage and threw everything in the slow-cooker…it’s just a little extra hubby and I like with the sausage…kudos to a good recipe

    1. Natasha says:

      Sounds good to me!!

  7. Lisa says:

    5 stars
    This is the best comfort soup. I made this for my friends and was just asked to make it again as they loved it so much. As I recently went low carb to take off some weight, I’ll be cooking the tortellini separately for my friends and they can add it to their servings. I hope this keeps me in my carb range, but if not….oh well. This is just too good to NOT eat.

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy it’s a favorite for you, Lisa!! ๐Ÿ˜€ Thanks for your review! XO

  8. Martha scharff says:

    5 stars
    Just ate this recently. I must make this

    1. Natasha says:

      Enjoy!!

  9. Rachael says:

    5 stars
    I think this was the best meal I have every made in my crock pot! So comforting and delicious. Had to sub for italian style chicken sausage but I can’t wait to try it with regular sausage!

    1. Natasha says:

      That makes me so happy, Rachael!! Thanks for your review!

  10. Maci B says:

    5 stars
    This was so amazing! I have added it to my favorites menu because it is so delicious!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Yay!! Thank you so much, Maci!