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This super simple Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup is the perfect fall dinner…great for nights when you’re craving Italian, but want something warming and healthy too. A mix of vegetables, simmered with Italian seasonings, a splash of wine, kale, and cheese tortellini. Finish each bowl off with an extra sprinkle of cheese and serve with crusty bread. It’s hearty, full of greens, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. Plus the leftovers the next day make for the best lunch!
As promised…a new slow cooker recipe to start off the week. And a healthier one too. But don’t worry, it’s still creamy, cozy, and of course, delicious. I mean, it’s October, I wouldn’t share a non-cozy recipe at this point in the year. Cozy is always the way to go when the weather begins to turn cooler.
To be completely honest, I don’t love all soups. To me, a dinner soup needs to be hearty. It needs to be brothy, but it also needs texture, carbs, and preferably some cheese on top too. French onion? Yes – yum. Hearty, thick chili? Of course. Ramen with double the noodles? Yes, 100%.
But a brothy soup with just a few vegetables just doesn’t do it for me, which brings me to this soup. It’s vegetable soup, but it’s not your average vegetable soup. This one is creamy, cheesy, and made with not just vegetables, but cheese tortellini too.
It’s all the things I love in a bowl of soup, yet made on the healthier side too. Promise you guys, this one is good, and kid-friendly too!
Here is the story:
This soup just sounded good to me. I’ve never done an Italian-style tortellini soup, but oddly I’ve done a Mexican-inspired tortilla soup with tortellini. Not sure where I got that idea, but it sure is different. Nothing like this bowl of tortellini soup.
When I presented the idea of a vegetable-based tortellini soup to my sister-in-law, she gave it a double thumbs up. Granted Lynds loves a bowl of soup, but she’s also picky about her them. So instead of second-guessing my ideas, like I always do, I took her double thumbs up and I ran with it. And the verdict? I am very, very happened I listened. This is such a delicious bowl of warming soup. And I love that I was able to make it a touch healthier than the versions you might find in a restaurant.
And my favorite part…well, aside from the taste…this is actually the easiest soup to make. You can cook it low and slow in the slow cooker, or speed things up by cooking it in the instant pot, or you can even cook it on the stove-top.
To make this tortellini soup:
I love to start this off on the stove-top. I know it’s annoying, but I really think cooking your vegetables with the dried herbs and spices before slow cooking adds so much wonderful flavor. If you have an all-in-one browning slow cooker then you can do this all in the slow cooker bowl. I literally just hit purchase (before starting this post) on this all-in-one All-Clad slow cooker with a browning function. I cannot wait for it to arrive this week!
Cook the onions with a mix of my favorite Italian spices…the dried herbs, fennel, and smoked paprika. They are all KEY here. They add so much flavor, almost like Italian sausage, but minus any of the meat.
Once the onions have been seared, add everything to the bowl of your slow cooker. Then add tomato paste, a good splash of dry white wine, and plenty of vegetable broth. Cover and cook low and slow.
I like to just let my soup cook all day long. The house smells incredible as this simmers away in the slow cooker. But, as I mentioned, I’ve also included directions for the Instant-Pot and stove-top variations, in case you’re in a crunch.
Once the soup has finished cooking, before serving, stir in a few large handfuls of kale, cream or milk, parmesan cheese, and the cheese tortellini. Cook another few minutes and then that’s it.
Easy. EASY. But yet so delicious.
I’d highly recommend serving this soup with a side of crusty bread. If you own the HBH Super Simple cookbook, there’s a really good, really easy, no-knead bread recipe that’s perfect to pair with this soup.
If you’re planning to enjoy this soup leftover, be sure to first remove the tortellini from the broth before refrigerating. That way the tortellini won’t soak up all the broth. Then just add them back in before serving.
Alright, and with that, I’m going to leave you all to it. If your Monday night needs some warming soup, this should be it. I’m actually beyond excited to make this again today on Instagram stories. It’s the perfect fall soup.
Cannot wait!
Looking for other fall soup recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Creamy Wild Rice Chicken Soup with Roasted Mushrooms
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Zucchini Soup
Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana
Lastly, if you make this Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lovely recipe. Perfect on a cold, winter night. Added zucchini but followed the rest of the recipe as written. Sooooo awesome!
Hey Kara,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Wow, wow, wow! May be top 5 favorite HBH recipes. I used a 12 oz bag of chopped kale, added 1/4 more wine and cream, added 1 cup of broth because it didn’t seem like there was enough broth before putting in the tortellini. This was absolutely incredible! Bravo!
Hey Elizabeth,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this for my family tonight and it was a win! I was worried at first I put too much fennel in based on the intensity of smell when everything just started simmering, however it was perfect! It added a flavor I’ve been missing ever since I became a pescatarian. I may be trying more fennel related recipes in the future. My family loved this dish as well. I am excited to have another easy go to recipe in my toolbox.
Thank you so much Emily! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
AHMAZING! I made the stove top version, it came together pretty quick. Super hearty, packed full of vegetables, creamy but not too heavy. Definitely going to be a staple recipe during these winter months. 🙂
Thank you so much Danielle! I am really glad this turned out well for you! xTieghan
Smelled amazing. But, the broth tasted liked someone messed up making minestrone. I didn’t use celery and substituted spinach for kale, so possibly that led to the issue.
Hi Jenna! I am sorry this did not turn out as expected! I would suggest trying it with kale and celery if you are able to! xTieghan
This was a fun and delicious way to eat tortellini, a change from the usual pasta-with-red-sauce rut. It was delicious and easy. You really are the absolute best for flavorful, healthy dinners. Again and again, thank you-
Thank you so much Lori! xTieghan
This is my go-to soup this fall/winter! Super easy and fast in the instant pot. I’ll throw in extra veggies I have laying around sometimes too and add a little extra spice…because we like spice in this house. SO good!!
Thank you so much Caroline! xTieghan
Full of flavor and instant coziness! Definitely recommend!
Thank you Samaah! xTieghan
This was so delicious! I will make it again and again. My whole family loved it!
Thank you so much Alex! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi! I really want to make this for my family but my mom is on a low carb diet. Do you have suggestions for a pasta substitute? Maybe mushrooms?
Hey Andrea,
You could skip the tortellini and do something like cauliflower gnocchi! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have made this a few times on the stovetop and the flavour is amazing! I have added a couple shredded chicken breasts (cooked so easily in my instantpot) to it, as well as some sliced mushrooms. Yummy xo
I am so happy you enjoyed this Melissa! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Delicious!
A cold Monday night in Carolina – soup was called for! Made the house smell delicious.
And thanks for the tip to take out the tortellinis for leftovers. When I made chicken & dumplings, the dumplings totally soaked up the broth.
Thanks!
Thank you so much David! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Excellent soup! Great flavor. I made some subs and additions that worked out—-spinach for kale, used chicken and vegetable broth 50/50 for the broth and wine because that is what I had and added shredded turkey. Also used frozen tortellini. Was so good, with rave reviews from the family, A keeper!
Thank you so much Carrie! I am really glad this redcipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Excited to try this! What is a good protein to add?
Hey Caroline,
I think chicken or sausage would be great here! I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions and Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have been cooking some of your recipes and just want to say Thanks they are so delicious, and I am telling others about your recipes Thank you
Thank you so much Christine! xTieghan