This 6-ingredient slow cooker tortellini is exactly the kind of comfort food I lean on during a busy week: you literally toss frozen tortellini into the crock with a few pantry staples, flip the switch, and a few hours later you’ve got a cozy, restaurant-level pasta dinner. The tortellini soak up a velvety, tomato-cream sauce and slow-cooked bites of Italian sausage, so it tastes like you fussed for hours when really the slow cooker did all the work. It’s the kind of hearty, no-stress Sunday supper that has my husband asking, “So… when are we having that tortellini again?”.
Serve this slow cooker tortellini straight from the crock with a big sprinkle of grated Parmesan and a handful of fresh basil or parsley if you have it. It’s perfect with a simple green salad tossed in Italian dressing and a loaf of crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the extra sauce. If you want to stretch the meal, add some roasted veggies on the side or a quick sheet-pan of broccoli. A glass of red wine or sparkling water with lemon rounds it out into an easy, cozy Sunday-style dinner any night of the week.
Slow Cooker 6-Ingredient Tortellini FeastServings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or your favorite tomato pasta sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 (19- to 20-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
Brown the sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook the Italian sausage until fully browned and no pink remains, 6–8 minutes. Drain off excess grease. (If you’re in a big hurry, you can skip browning, but browning adds a lot of flavor.)
Layer the tortellini in the slow cooker: Place the frozen cheese tortellini in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This is what you want to see in that top-down shot—plump frozen tortellini nestled in the bottom of the crock, ready to soak up sauce.
Add the sausage and liquids: Scatter the cooked sausage evenly over the frozen tortellini. Pour the marinara sauce and chicken broth over the top, making sure most of the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Gently press down any pieces that are sticking up so they’re mostly covered.
Add the cream cheese: Nestle the cream cheese cubes down into the saucy mixture, spacing them out a bit so they melt more evenly. Don’t worry if they’re not fully covered; they’ll soften and melt into a velvety, amber-tinged sauce as everything cooks.
Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours, or on HIGH for 1½–2 hours, until the tortellini are tender but not mushy and the cream cheese has melted into the sauce. Around the 2½–3 hour mark on LOW, gently stir from the bottom to bring the melted cream cheese into the sauce and check the pasta for doneness.
Finish with mozzarella: Once the tortellini are cooked to your liking and the sauce is smooth and creamy, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Cover and cook on LOW for another 10–15 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and gooey.
Serve: Give everything a gentle stir if you want the mozzarella mixed through, or leave it as a melty blanket on top. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs if you like.
Variations & Tips
Make-ahead tip: Brown the sausage the night before, then in the morning just dump the frozen tortellini, sausage, sauce, broth, and cream cheese into the slow cooker and go. Protein swaps: Use ground turkey Italian sausage, chicken sausage, or even cooked shredded rotisserie chicken instead of pork sausage (skip the browning if using pre-cooked chicken and add a pinch of Italian seasoning for extra flavor). Veggie boost: Stir in a bag of baby spinach or chopped kale during the last 15–20 minutes of cooking, just until wilted. You can also add a cup of frozen peas or mixed veggies for extra color. Spice level: Use hot Italian sausage and a pinch of red pepper flakes if your crew loves heat; stick with mild sausage and a sweeter marinara if they don’t. Extra-cheesy: Add 1/2 cup more mozzarella or a handful of grated Parmesan when you sprinkle the cheese on top. Lighter version: Use Neufchâtel (1/3 less fat) cream cheese and part-skim mozzarella, and swap in turkey sausage; the sauce will still be creamy but a bit lighter. Timing note: Slow cookers vary, so the first time you make this, start checking the tortellini early; once they’re tender, switch to WARM to keep them from getting too soft if dinner time shifts a bit.
