Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage

Introduction

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage is a dinner dream come true—rich, cheesy tortellini soaked with savory Italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce, all simmered to perfection with barely any effort. This cozy, crowd-pleasing meal is packed with flavor and offers a hands-off approach, making it ideal for busy weeknights or casual gatherings with friends.

Why You’ll Love Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage

This recipe excels in combining simplicity with hearty, satisfying flavors. Slow-cooking allows the tortellini to absorb all the goodness of the sausage and tomato sauce, resulting in a dish that’s comforting and irresistibly creamy. Plus, it’s easily adaptable for meal prepping and batch cooking—perfect for home cooks looking for convenience without sacrificing taste.

Developing Rich Flavor in Your Crockpot Meal

The secret to maximizing flavor is to brown your Italian sausage before adding it to the Crockpot. This step takes just a few minutes but unlocks a depth of flavor that infuses the entire dish as it slow cooks. The addition of cream cheese and parmesan towards the end gives the sauce a luxurious, velvety finish.

Effortless Assembly in the Crockpot

Layer ingredients in your slow cooker: start with the browned sausage, add seasonings, tomato sauce, and broth. Let everything simmer—adding in the cheese tortellini and creamy elements during the last hour ensures perfectly cooked pasta and a luscious sauce. This one-pot wonder minimizes cleanup and maximizes convenience.

Serving Suggestions for Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage

Serve this dish with crusty garlic bread or a simple green salad to balance the creamy richness. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and a sprinkle of extra parmesan for a presentation that looks as good as it tastes. Leftovers are even better the next day, making this recipe a fantastic addition to your meal prep rotation.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields approximately 6 hearty servings. Each serving contains around 450–500 calories, depending on specific ingredient choices. Packed with protein and satisfying carbs, it’s an all-in-one meal that leaves everyone full and happy.

Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage (Recap)

With its creamy sauce, savory sausage, and cheesy pasta, this recipe checks every box for the ultimate family dinner—simple, affordable, and delicious enough to please any palate.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to instantly create an organized shopping list with all your ingredients grouped by store section, making meal planning and grocery shopping simple and stress-free.

Instructions

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
2. Transfer sausage to the Crockpot. Add diced onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Pour in the marinara sauce and chicken broth, mixing everything well. Cover and cook on low for 3½–4 hours, or on high for 2 hours.
4. About 45 minutes before serving, add the cream cheese cubes and cheese tortellini. Stir gently to combine, then re-cover and continue cooking on low.
5. Once the cream cheese is fully melted and the tortellini is tender, add in parmesan cheese and stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and extra parmesan if desired.

Weekly Meal Planning

This hearty Crockpot meal is perfect to schedule into your weekly meal rotation. Save and schedule this recipe to automatically plan meals and combine shopping lists for all your weekly favorites.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically calculates total ingredients needed for multiple recipes
• Groups grocery items by category for a streamlined shopping trip
• Prevents duplicate ingredients and simplifies your meal prep workflow
• Keeps your kitchen organized so meal prep feels effortless

Pro tip: When planning for your week, schedule meals in CookifyAI to see overlapping ingredients (like onion or parmesan), helping you buy exactly what you need and minimize food waste.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours (on low)
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes