My kids ask for this meal by name every week. A 5 ingredient dinner that feels fancy but is effortlessly easy.

This slow cooker 5-ingredient creamy tomato tortellini is exactly the kind of dinner my kids ask for by name every single week. It feels a little fancy—like something you’d order at a cozy Italian place—but it comes together with almost no effort and only a handful of ingredients. I toss everything into the slow cooker on a busy workday, and by the time we’re home and backpacks are dropped, we’ve got plump cheese tortellini swimming in a silky pink tomato cream sauce with spinach and Parmesan. It’s comfort food that fits right into a real-life, weeknight schedule.

Serve this creamy tomato tortellini straight from the slow cooker with extra grated Parmesan and a good crack of black pepper on top. It’s perfect with a simple green salad (I usually throw together mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and bottled Italian dressing) and warm garlic bread or a baguette to soak up the sauce. If you want to stretch the meal for a bigger family, add a side of roasted broccoli or green beans. For adults, a glass of light red wine like Pinot Noir or a crisp sparkling water with lemon balances the richness of the sauce.

Servings: 6

1 (24-ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce (your favorite marinara or tomato basil)

Lightly spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray for easier cleanup.

Pour the tomato pasta sauce into the slow cooker, then stir in the heavy cream until you have a smooth pink sauce.

Add the frozen cheese tortellini and gently stir to coat all the pasta in the creamy tomato sauce, making sure most of the tortellini are submerged.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until the tortellini are plump and tender but not falling apart. Avoid lifting the lid too often so the heat stays consistent.

About 20 minutes before serving, gently stir in the fresh baby spinach, pushing it down into the hot sauce so it wilts. Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese and stir again until the spinach is wilted and the sauce looks glossy and creamy.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed with a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper. The Parmesan and jarred sauce are usually salty enough, so go slowly.

Serve the creamy tomato tortellini straight from the slow cooker, topped with extra grated Parmesan and more black pepper. The sauce should be bubbly around the edges, with plump tortellini and wilted spinach throughout.

To add protein without extra fuss, stir in 2 cups of cooked, diced chicken or sliced chicken sausage during the last 30 minutes of cooking so it can heat through without overcooking the tortellini. If you prefer a lighter version, swap half-and-half for the heavy cream and reduce the Parmesan slightly; the sauce will be a bit thinner but still creamy. For extra veggies, toss in a cup of frozen peas or a handful of halved cherry tomatoes along with the spinach. If you like a little kick, add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce at the beginning. You can also play with the cheese: use a three-cheese or spinach-and-cheese tortellini instead of plain cheese for more flavor. For meal prep, you can assemble the sauce and cream in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate it; in the morning, stir in the frozen tortellini and set the cooker to LOW before heading out. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce.