Easy Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage for Weeknight Dinners

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Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage

Prepared Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage served in bowl

Do you want a warm, filling supper that is easy to make? Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage is the answer! This creamy meal is made with Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and fresh spinach, all of which are cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. The end product is a delicious meal that everyone in the family will love.

This recipe is great for busy weeknights or a relaxing weekend lunch. It makes your dinner table feel better with very little work. Let’s talk about why this dish is so good and how you can make it at home.

Why This Recipe Is a Winner

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage should be your new go-to meal for a lot of reasons:

  • Easy to make: Just put the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it, and let it do its thing. You don’t have to stand over the burner; just let it happen.
  • The mix of Italian sausage, creamy cream cheese, and cheese tortellini is hearty, tasty, and comforting. This supper will make you feel better after a long day.
  • This recipe is easy to change to suit your tastes, whether you like things spicy or mild. You can change the heat level by choosing between mild and spicy Italian sausage. You can also change the vegetables based on what you have on hand.
  • Family-Friendly: This dish is sure to please everyone, so it’s great for family dinners, get-togethers, or meal prep for the week. Kids enjoy it because it’s cheesy and tasty, while adults will like the hearty sausage and tortellini.
  • This recipe is both comforting and healthy because it has fresh spinach and lean Italian sausage in it. Also, the long cooking procedure lets the flavors to develop, making for a dish that is rich and tasty.

This creamy, warm crockpot cheese tortellini and sausage dish is plenty of flavor. This filling supper is quick to cook and great for hectic nights. It has soft sausage, cheese tortellini, and fresh spinach. Let your crockpot do all the work so you can have a great dinner that everyone will enjoy!

Ingredients

Ingredients for Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage laid out

  • 1 pound of Italian sausage, either mild or hot
  • One package (19 ounces) of frozen cheese tortellini. Any kind will do, but cheese is a classic choice.
  • Four cups of chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes that haven’t been drained
  • 1 brick of cream cheese (8 ounces), cut into cubes
  • 4 cups of chicken broth (low-sodium is best)
  • 1 teaspoon of minced garlic (for a blast of flavor)
  • 1 teaspoon of Italian spice (to add a hint of herby flavor)
  • Add salt and pepper to taste to bring out all the flavors.

Instructions

1. Prepare the Italian sausage

Cooking Italian sausage in skillet for Crockpot Tortellini

Put a skillet on medium heat to start. Put the Italian sausage in the skillet and cook it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. Keep heating until the sausage is brown and fully cooked. This normally takes five to seven minutes.

After cooking the sausage, get rid of any extra fat and put it aside. The sausage will give the dish a sturdy, tasty base, so make sure it is well-browned for the best flavor.

2. Get the Crockpot ready

Get your crockpot ready while the sausage cooks. Put the chopped tomatoes (with their juice), minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and chicken stock into the slow cooker with the cooked sausage. Stir everything well to make sure the flavors are evenly spread around. The creamy sauce will form while the chicken stock boils.

3. Put in the cream cheese

Cut the cream cheese into little cubes and spread them over the mixture in the crockpot. This is where the magic takes place. When the cream cheese melts, it makes a thick, creamy sauce that covers the tortellini and sausage. This makes the dish even more warm and tasty.

Put the lid on the crockpot and cook the food on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors will mix, and the cream cheese will dissolve completely into the broth, making a smooth, velvety base.

4. Put in the spinach and tortellini

Add the frozen cheese tortellini and fresh spinach to the crockpot about 30 minutes before the food is done cooking. Gently stir the tortellini into the creamy sauce to make sure the spinach is fully submerged. The sauce will cook the tortellini, which will soak up all the flavor, and the spinach will wilt just fine.

The broth in the crockpot should be beautiful and creamy by now, and the tortellini will start to bubble up as it cooks. For the last 30 minutes, or until the tortellini is fully cooked and soft, let the mixture cook.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste

You can taste the dish after the tortellini and spinach are done cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste. This step is critical to make sure the flavors are just right.

6. Serve and have fun!

Put the creamy, cheesy tortellini and sausage combination into dishes and serve right away. A piece of crusty bread to soak up all the tasty sauce or a simple side salad for a light, refreshing contrast go great with this recipe. You may also add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the meal to make it taste even better.

Tips to Perfect Your Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage

Here are some extra suggestions to make sure your Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage always turn out perfectly:

  • Change the amount of spice
    Use hot Italian sausage instead of mild Italian sausage if you want a spicier dish. You may also add red pepper flakes to give it a little more fire. If you’re cooking for kids or just want a milder flavor, though, stick with the mild sausage and don’t add any more spices. If you like things spicy, you can use spicy sausage.
  • Add More Vegetables
    You may simply replace the spinach in this dish with other vegetables, such as kale, zucchini, or bell peppers. Just cut them up into tiny pieces so they cook evenly in the crockpot.
  • Use Tortellini That Is Fresh
    You can use fresh tortellini instead of frozen tortellini to make a dinner that is a little more fancy. Just so you know, fresh tortellini cooks faster, so you might want to add it later in the cooking process to keep it from getting too soft.
  • Do it Ahead of Time
    This dish is wonderful for meal prep, which is one of the best things about it. You may make the dish ahead of time, put it in the fridge, and then heat it up when you’re ready to eat. The flavors will get stronger while the food sits, making the leftovers taste even better. You can freeze this dish. Put the leftovers in a container that won’t let air in and heat them up when you’re ready to eat.
  • For more flavor, put some Parmesan cheese on top.

Perfect Sides for Your Meal

Do you want to know what sides go well with your Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage? Here are some things you could do:

  • Warm, crunchy, and buttery garlic bread goes perfectly with this rich and creamy entrée.
  • Side Salad: A fresh salad with a tart dressing can help cut through the richness of the tortellini.
  • Roasted Vegetables: Carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers are some of the best vegetables to roast because they offer a lot of nutrients to your meal.
  • Crusty Bread: Serve this dish with a rustic loaf of bread for sopping up the creamy sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it okay to use different kinds of sausage in this recipe?
Of course! You can use chicken sausage, turkey sausage, or even sausage links instead of Italian sausage for a different taste.
Can I put leftovers in the freezer?
Yes, this recipe works great when frozen. Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just heat it up in the microwave or on the stove till it’s hot when you’re ready to eat it.
Is it possible to make this dish without a slow cooker?
Yes, you can! You may cook the sausage and sauce on the stove in a big pot if you don’t have a crockpot. Then, for about 20 to 30 minutes, let everything simmer together. Just like in the original recipe, add the spinach and tortellini toward the end.
How can I tell when the tortellini is done?
When the tortellini is soft and has grown, it’s done. You can find the exact cooking time on the container, but in most cases, 30 minutes in the crockpot will be adequate.

Prepared Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage served alongside bread and salad

Nutritional Information

Let’s look more closely at the nutritional statistics for this dish for Crockpot Cheese Tortellini with Sausage. Each serving (based on 6 servings) has about:

  • One bowl (1/6 of the recipe) is a serving.
  • Calories: 450 kcal for each dish
  • Protein: 23 grams
  • Carbs: 35 grams
  • Fat: 30g, which includes beneficial fats from sausage and cream cheese
  • Saturated fat: 12 grams
  • Unsaturated fat: 16g
  • Trans fat: 0g
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 900 mg (this amount can change based on the sausage and broth used)
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 85 mg

This meal has a good mix of protein, carbs, and fat that will fill you up without going overboard. After a long day, this is exactly what you need: thick, creamy, and satisfying.

Summary

Time to get ready: 10 minutes
Time to cook: 3 hours
Main Course and Comfort Food
Method: Slow Cook in a Crockpot
Food: Italian-American

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini & Sausage is the best comfort meal since it’s creamy, cheesy, and filling. It’s great for any occasion. This recipe is great for both a busy weeknight dinner and a relaxed family evening. It tastes great and is easy to make. It’s also quite flexible because you can change it to fit your tastes.

You can make a tasty homemade meal that everyone will love with just a few simple items and a slow cooker. You’ll see why this recipe will soon be a family favorite if you try it.

 


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