Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini

Some nights are just pasta nights. It’s so filling and so comforting, sometimes nothing else will do. When the mood for pasta strikes, nothing satisfies like this delicious and creamy slow cooker tortellini. Toss together a salad for good measure and you have yourself a meal and you’ve barely lifted a finger.

Tortellini lends itself really well to the freezer meal cooking lifestyle and cooks shockingly well in the slow cooker. We have several recipes so be sure to check out this Make Ahead Pizza Tortellini Bake or Freezer Friendly Italian Sausage Tortellini. Don’t forget, we have even more recipes in our Freezer Meals 101 Club to make your weeknight meals next level.

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Recipe

Ingredients for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini

• 1 lb. cheese tortellini
• 1 cup spinach, fresh, chopped
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz. diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large (gallon) freezer bag or reusable silicone bag
• slow cooker

How to Make Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini

Assembly Instructions

1. Place all ingredients except tortellini in one large resealable freezer bag.
2. Add the tortellini to a second bag.
3. Remove excess air and seal both bags.
4. Staple together above the seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions

1. Thaw.
2. Dump the bag contents with the diced tomatoes into the slow cooker and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Set the bag of tortellini aside or place it back in the freezer or refrigerator.
3. At 20-30 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and allow to cook. Adding it too soon will let it overcook, making it mushy.

What is tortellini?

These small round pastas are filled with cheese. They can be formed by layering one piece of pasta on top of the other and pressing the two together with filling inside, or filling small tubes of pasta with cheese and then forming them into a circle so that the ends meet and are pinched together. Either way, it is a small, circular, cheese filled pasta shape.

Tortellini comes in three forms at the grocery store. It can be purchased dried, refrigerated or frozen. Dried tortellini requires a bit more water or broth to rehdyrate during the cooking process. Refrigerated is the shortest cook time, heating through in just 2-3 minutes. Frozen tortillini takes a tiny bit longer to cook, but since all of the tortellini used for this recipe will be frozen during assembly and meal prep, the type of tortellini you purchase does not matter.

Can I use frozen tortellini with this recipe?

Yes! It should stay frozen during the meal prep process, though, so you may need to work in small batches and work quickly as you make your freezer bags.

Why is my tortellini mushy?

Even in a slow cooker, tortellini cooks fast. Do not add it until about twenty minutes before you want to serve the dish. On a stovetop, it only takes a handful of minutes to boil.

Can I use chicken broth?

Yes. We love using vegetable broth for this dish because it adds depth of flavor, but chicken broth is traditional and works perfectly well. It of course won’t be a vegetarian recipe if you use chicken broth.

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Recipe Ideas

Even though we recommend cheese tortellini for this recipe on the printable recipe card, almost any tortellini will do. Sausage tortellini is a family favorite, and seasonally you can find things like butternut squash tortellini which adds a whole new dimension to this recipe — keeping it fresh and new every time it is served. The basic principles of assembly and cooking remain the same.

Dust the finished tortellini dish with parmesan at the table.

Cooked and crumbled sausage, or cooked, diced chicken or steak would all work mixed in with the pasta dish and add protein.

If you don’t love oregano, skip the Italian seasoning and use a homemade blend of equal parts basil, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram instead.

Red pepper flakes will bring on the heat without detracting from the flavors. Start with about a quarter teaspoon. You could also add a drop or two of hot sauce with the diced tomatoes.

Diced and lightly sautéed veggies are a nice touch with this dish. Try mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, green peppers, broccoli or onions. If you want, you can also toss any combination of these veggies in salt, pepper and a little olive oil and roast them at 400ºF for ten minutes to serve on the side.

If you do not enjoy cooked spinach, you can set the spinach aside to stir in at the end, right before serving.

How do I store Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini

Leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container and can be reheated in the microwave. They will keep for up to five days. Individual servings of this dish are perfect to take to work! Once cooked, this dish does not freeze well.

What to Serve with Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini

A nice happy salad and warm garlic bread are two great options. Fresh fruit salad and zucchini bread are also perfect. You also don’t have to serve it with anything at all. If you are feeling crazy, add some warm pizza sauce for dipping at the table.

If you want protein, grilled chicken or grilled steak both work as a main dish with the tortellini as a side. Want fast garlic bread? Brush store-bought flat bread with olive oil and garlic powder, then bake at 400ºF until heated through and starting to toast up.

Print

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

Total Time

2 hrs 10 mins

 

Servings: 4

Calories: 702 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb cheese tortellini
• 1 cup spinach, fresh, chopped
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 14 oz diced tomatoes (one can)
• 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups cups vegetable broth
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Assembly Instructions

1. Place all ingredients except tortellini in one large resealable freezer bag.

2. Add the tortellini to a second bag.

3. Remove excess air and seal both bags. Staple together above the seal, and freeze.

Cooking Instructions

1. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

2. Dump the bag contents with the diced tomatoes into slow cooker and cook on low for 2-3 hours.

3. At 20-30 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and allow to cook. Adding it too soon will let it overcook, making it mushy.