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Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

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Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is just what your busy weeknights need! You can get it started in the slow cooker in the morning, and then just a few minutes before serving, throw the tortellini and spinach into the slow cooker to cook for a few minutes and you’re done! It’s quick, easy, and totally delicious!

I think the ingredient that really makes this slow cooker tortellini soup special is the cream cheese. It adds just a little tang to the soup that cream or bechamel doesn’t. And, I LOVE that this soup only takes a total of 7 ingredients but tastes complex and hearty.

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

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Tips for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

  • This soup can be made on the stovetop, too! I like to use the slow cooker because I feel like it gives the soup that simmered-all-day-taste. But, if you’d rather just make it up quick and speedy on the stovetop you can totally do that! Just brown the sausage in your soup pot, add the sauce, mushrooms, broth and cream cheese as listed in the recipe and bring to a simmer. Add the tortellini and spinach and cook until the tortellini float to the top.
  • Types of Sausage– I love the flavor that pork sausage gives but I don’t love all the fat. For this reason I like to use a 50/50 mix of pork and turkey Italian sausages. I buy a pound of each, split each in half and then store the remainder in the freezer until I need it again.
  • Types of Cream Cheese- Some readers have had problems with using low-fat and fat-free cream cheeses as they curdle and don’t blend well into the soup. I’ve personally used Neuftachel cheese without any problem, but to be on the safe side I recommend using regular, full-fat cream cheese.

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

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Tools Used for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

  • Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System (My Slow Cooker): I’ve owned this slow cooker for about 6 years (when they were first introduced) and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (less dishes) and there’s a bake feature as well.
  • The Chop Stir Tool: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

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Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.
5 from 57 votes
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Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

 Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 671 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage I like 1/2 pork 1/2 turkey
  • 24 ounce jar favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 16 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
  • 2 ounces fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

  1. Brown and crumble sausage until cooked through on the stovetop. Place cooked sausage in the slow cooker.
  2. Add sauce, chicken broth, cream cheese and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Don't worry about stirring in the cream cheese, just put the whole brick in. 
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH or 2-3 hours.
  4. 20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already and stir in frozen tortellini and spinach. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
  5. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 671 Calories from Fat 387
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g 66%
Saturated Fat 18g 90%
Cholesterol 127mg 42%
Sodium 2179mg 91%
Potassium 917mg 26%
Total Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars 8g
Protein 28g 56%
Vitamin A 37.7%
Vitamin C 28.9%
Calcium 19.1%
Iron 27.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you. Nutrition facts are for informational purposes only and are generated from a calculator. Please don’t rely solely upon these nutrition facts and do your own calculations to meet your own specific dietary needs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Do you have to cook the meat all the way through before you add it to the crockpot? Won’t it cook in the crockpot for 6 hours?

    Reply

  3. We have made this soup several times and it is delicious! We opt to cook it on the stove rather than a slow cooker and we use a pound of spicy (hot) Italian sausage which adds some zip and flavor. Instead of putting the fresh spinach into the soup to cook, we just put a handful in our soup bowl and spoon the soup on top of it. The spinach wilts very quickly as soon as the hot soup is put on top of it. Yummy … cooking a pot of it now and can’t wait to dig in!

    Reply

  4. This was delicious! I used Neufchatel cream cheese (1/3 less fat) and added spinach closer to the end, used sauce with no meat (I’m vegetarian) and omitted the mushrooms (kids don’t like them). I don’t know if it helped but I also followed the suggestion to add a pinch of baking soda to counteract the possible curdling effect from using a lower-fat cream cheese. I might aim to reduce the sodium content next time by using a low-sodium broth, just because that’s something I’m watching. This is a great, easy recipe. Thank you!!

    Reply

  6. I make this on a regular basis, it’s one of my family’s favorite dishes. But we like our food spicy so I always use hot Italian sausage and add a can of sliced jalapenos in escabeche. So delicious!!!

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  8. So good! I sautéed the mushrooms in butter and evoo with onions and garlic, then added them with the liquids. We are vegetarian, so I didn’t add in any meat, but I added a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. I added the spinach with the tortellini noodles. A dash of crushed red pepper and a big hunk of crusty bread. Yum!

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  9. This fid not turn out well. But it was my fault. I stupidly added the tortellini at the beginning. The flavor was good but too mushy. Will definitely try again. But the correct way.

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  10. This looks amazing, but looking for a substitute for the meat. Might try ground chicken, has anyone used Lentils as a replacement? Any suggestions?

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  11. I came across this recipe online while trying to figure out what to do with the frozen tortellini that had been in my freezer for forever. It looked good so I decided to make it. Wow!!! It was delicious. I had my nephews over and they are notoriously picky eaters. They ate this stuff like it was going out of style. (Though they did pick out the kale that I had used instead of spinach) though it makes a lot, there was no left overs. There arnt many recipes I make often but this one has become a favourite. After the first time I made it though I decided to double the mushrooms and take out the spinach/kale as I found it didn’t really add anything.

    Reply

  12. Omgosh!! This is soooo good!! I have also never commented on one of these before… but the soup is cooking on the stove now and I’ve just tasted a couple of bites and I love it! It will definitely go on our recipe rotation.

    I made it on the stovetop… used a vodka red sauce (no meat) because I already had it in the pantry. Used Kroger brand cream cheese (regular fat)… threw everything in the pot (except the spinach and pasta) and let it cook/boil for maybe 10 min. Then tossed in the tortellini and spinach, a little crushed red pepper because we add it to almost everything ;-), and voila!!! SO TASTY!! Thanks for the recipe!! Can’t wait for my fiancé to try it :-).

    Reply

  13. I used full fat cream cheese and let it cook all day – the cream cheese still didn’t melt, but I used an immersion blender to blend things up a bit and that fixed it right up! Good excuse to use a wedding present, haha! Can’t wait for my husband to get home so we can eat!

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  14. I don’t put this one in the crockpot. I just cook everything but the pasta and spinach on stovetop and then add them the next day after work or freeze and add them when I need them. This is a very tasty recipe!!

    Reply

  15. I just wanted to comment that I used plain greek yogurt instead of cream cheese in the recipe and it came out excellent! I added the sauce, broth, and yogurt first and whisked it until it was well combined, then added everything else. I also threw in a handfull of chopped onions and peppers.

    Reply

  16. I’ve made this several times and it’s absolutely delicious!! I make it on top of the stove by browning both ground chuck and Hot Italian Sausage, then throw the mushrooms in to cook with them. I add all of that to a soup pot, add the spaghetti sauce, broth, and once it’s bubbling, the cream cheese. I chop the spinach and add that with the fresh/refrigerated tortellini. Simmer and enjoy! Easy and awesome recipe.

    Reply

  17. Didn’t use mushrooms since my boyfriend doesn’t like them but I found the cream cheese didn’t melt. I cooked on low all day and when I came home the chunks were still in the pot. ODD
    Otherwise, I think my measurements were off also, a lot of sauce…I’m not one to measure ingredients much! It was still good.

    Reply

  18. I made this yesterday and can’t stop thinking about it! Thank God for leftovers! 😉 I sliced the mushrooms nice and thick, made a few changes in the meat, based on what I had on hand. I’m not a big mushroom fan, but they were heavenly in this dish. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  20. Awesome recipe! I am a vet student and will get stuck at school for 14+ hours a day, this soup is a great pick-me-up, thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

  21. This is so yummy. My husband asks for it weekly. I add the spinach at the same time as the tortellini and it turns out great.

    Reply

  22. Just throwing together this very simple recipe, it smells amazing. Thank you for sharing Heather! Im using a stove top instead of a slow cooker, seems to be pretty straight forward. The minute I saw this on pinterest it just looked so warm and hearty. Pinned it right away, it jumped right out at me!Thank again!

    Reply

  23. I got this recipe from your Mom and made it last weekend for a teacher training conference! Everyone loved it! Thank you for a great recipe….I have shared your blog with everyone….

    Reply

  24. This looks fantastic and we’ll be having it tomorrow night. I have a soup recipe that uses cream cheese and people tell me it curdles. It does not, the cream cheese (full or low fat) isn’t fully melted yet which is why they have little white specks floating in there. I accidentally let my soup come to a boil once and still no curdling. Just another data point, as my resident scientist would say.

    Reply

  25. I haven’t made this yet but I wanted to comment on the person that had trouble using fat free cream cheese. I cook with it all the time, it just needs to be stirred as it melts to incorporate it into the liquid. I’d suggest possibly heating up the chicken broth in a saucepan and adding softened cream cheese to it, stirring until it melts, then add it to the other ingredients in slow cooker. I know it’s a little more work, but it should help if you want to use ff cream cheese. I hope this helps!

    Reply

  26. I have made this soup several times and will be making it again for a big Christmas eve party as it is a family favorite and I want to share with the rest of the family. Since I am making a large batch ( probably going to triple the recipe) and want to make on the stove do you have any pointers? How long should I cook it for etc…

    Reply

  27. Your mother made this for our Women’s Conference and we have been bugging her for the recipe. So delicious. Can’t wait to make it for my family.

    Reply

  28. Just thought I’d let you know I made this months ago and it is now one of our household faves (i’m actually making it again tonight). I skip the spinach and mushrooms and add mozzarella cheese a small bit every hour. Not only is it delicious but it reheats really well and during the cold months it’s a perfect dinner as well as a reheated lunch.
    p.s – it’s also really good if you dip ciabatta or garlic bread into it.

    Thanks so much for sharing – I didn’t even like soup until I tried this 😀

    Reply

  29. This soup was a huge hit at a holiday party… so much so that I shared this website with several people on FB. My husband hates soups… you have his stamp of approval! Keep up the tips and good work, oh… congrats on the new addition to this wonderful world!

    Reply

  30. I made this last night & OMG!!! Even though some of the reviews stated that they had a problem with the cheese, I did not have any issues and I used the Neufchâtel cheese. I think that as long are using a good slow cooker & as you cook it enough & stir regularly, you wont have any problem either. This was the second recipe provided by Heather that I will keep forever. THANS AGAIN HEATHER! Keep them coming!

    Reply

  31. Have tried many versions of this, but your recipe is the best. Literally CRAVE -worthy. I used dry pasta and it worked fine – just needs to cook a little longer and a little more chicken broth. Thank you!

    Reply

  32. Made this on the stovetop tonight, no time for slow cooker! It is delish! Followed recipe exactly, other than cooking method. Served with hot, crusty bread. Definitely a keeper.

    Reply

  33. This recipe looks amazing! I am definitely going to try this! Not sure if I’m going to add the spinach or not yet, I love it, but my husband is definitely not a fan of green things. Will keep you posted. Thanks for the great recipe! Jan

    Reply

  35. I tried the Tortellini Slow-Cooker soup. Great! I didn’t use the slow cooker method just stove top,and I was out of cream cheese but I substituted sour cream, also the first time I made it I used dry tortellini.The dry tortellini seems to hold its shape longer. It goes so quick that doesn’t even matter. Nothing but raves here! Also use those corn-chip strips as a garnish along with the Parmesan. Wow your site is great!

    Reply

  37. HEY HEATHER! SO I JUST MADE THIS LAST NIGHT, AND AFTER READING THE COMMENTS ON HERE I MADE A FEW TWEAKS AND IT CAME OUT 100% PERFECT. WE WILL DEF. BE ADDING THIS TO OUR RECIPE BOOKS! FIRST OFF, I COOKED MINE QUICKLY, FOR ONLY 3 HOURS. I BROWNED THE BEEF/SAUSAGE FIRST, POURED IT IN THE CROCK POT, POURED IN THE SPAGHETTI SAUCE, PUT IN THE BLOCK OF CREAM CHEESE AND THE MUSHROOMS. SET THE CROCKPOT ON HIGH. COOKED FOR 2 HOURS. THEN STIRRED IT VERY GOOD TO BLEND IN ALL OF THE CLUMPED UP CREAM CHEESE. AFTER THE 2 HOURS I ADDED THE SPINACH. I COOKED THAT IN WITH EVERYTHING FOR ANOTHER 45MINUTES. AFTER THAT MY STORE DIDN’T HAVE FROZEN TORTELLINI, SO I BOILED MINE IN WATER UNTIL DONE. THEN ADDED TO MY CROCK POT. LET IT SIT WITH ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES. THEN SERVED. AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. THE TEMP WAS IN THE 30’S LAST NIGHT, AND IT WAS JUST GREAT. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE!

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  38. This was so easy! It was very good! I only used half of the cream cheese (we are watching calories) and it was still nice and creamy. I also used frozen spinach it was half the cost of fresh and since it was going to be cooked down it would be ok. The frozen worked out great too! My hubby loved this! This will go into my permanant meal rotation.

    Reply

  39. Hi Heather! I found your website through pinterest and made this soup for my co workers today. THEY LOVED IT!! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply

  40. Went by the recipe except I did it stove top ( 45minutes ) and used fully cooked grilled chicken strips, added some garlic and chipotle powder

    Reply

  41. Made this soup at a Scrapbooking retreat. It was FANTASTIC! Used sliced Baby Bella mushrooms, and added a little garlic powder. Everyone wanted the recipe.

    Added the spinach at the beginning and it was still “visible” in the soup. It didn’t cook away to nothing. I definitely will be making again.

    Reply

  42. I am making this for dinner tonight! Instead of beef I am going to use shredded chicken 🙂 I will let you know how it turns out. Can’t wait!!

    Reply

  43. Made this tonight… Delicious! I opted stovetop rather than my crockpot. I also opted to just use a 1 lb package of ground Italian sausage. Half way through cooking my sausage, I threw in the mushrooms. Once fully cooked, I stirred in my low fat cream cheese on low heat until well blended. Then threw the meat mixture and all remaining ingredients in my pot to cook. So easy and quite tasty!!

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  46. I made this tonight with a few adjustments…. I used Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo sauce instead of red spaghetti sauce and I only used Turkey sausage. It turned out fantastic!

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  47. Hubby loved this…I used the refrigerated tortellini and added some pre-cooked chicken meatballs. I would probably add the spinach for the last hour or two…kind of grey and overcooked. Otherwise yummy!

    Reply

  48. Just made this tonight! Turned out wonderful (and my boyfriend loved it too)!

    I used ground turkey for my meat. I also added sautéed onions and lots of garlic 🙂 As others advised, I added the spinach at the end with the tortellini and it worked out very well. I added quite a bit of cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch!

    There is a lot of room to play around with this recipe. It is great as is, but next time I might throw in some other vegetables! Zucchini suggestions sounds great!

    Reply

  49. Oh my! I knew it was going to be good based on the pict but it was REALLY good and so simple!!! Instead of the ground beef I found some stew beef chopped on sale while buying ingredients, so just lightly browned and threw it in with the rest of the pot. I did add the mushrooms and spinach the last 45 minutes and it was perfect!! Wondering if anyone knows how well this would freeze? Would like to make another pot and freeze in individual bowls for winter.

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  50. Made this tonight after I found it on Pinterest. Absolutely amazing. I served it in bread bowls. Actually I think I’m going to go get another bowl. Thanks for adding a new recipe to my rotation.

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  51. Wow! This was amazing. I made it on the stove. Used organic spaghetti sauce, organic cream cheese, ground turkey, small portabella mushrooms and I added a can of great northern beans. Delish,,

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  53. The soup was absolutely delicious! I took two other readers’ comments and used 1/3 Philidelphia lower fat cream cheese and added it to the meat after it was drained to let it warm up and melted in with the meat. Add that to the red sauce and give a good stir. I also waited to put in the spinach until I added the tortellini at the end. It took about 30 minutes to fully cook the noodles. I added some Mrs. Dash Italian seasonings then too. My brother and husband loved it, plus it was very easy!

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  54. I made this soup tonight for my boyfriend and me. He claims to hate soup, but he absolutely LOVED this. I saw that some people had issues with using reduced fat cream cheese, but I didn’t have a problem with it at all; you just have to let it soften and blend it really well with the rest of the mixture. For some reason, I felt inclined to throw in a half teaspoon of curry powder and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, which was a good choice. Long story short, this was an awesome dinner (served with Gouda grilled cheese) that I will definitely be making again! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  55. I made this soup today and it is SO delicious and so easy!! I actually used fat free cream cheese but with fat free you have to make a sauce first. I heated it up on the stove with a little broth until it was all melted and formed a nice, thick sauce then put it in the crock pot. It turned out great!

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  56. Thanks for the great recipe! I made it tonight with ground turkey and store-bought sauce on the stove. It was great! I think I will try the greek yogurt thing next time since we don’t usually buy cream cheese.

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  57. @Jason Tieri. That’s awesome…and yes, it totally does, so now I need to make this cause ear is one of my favorite soup ingredients :).

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  58. I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. It will be a regular in our house 🙂

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  59. Making this tonight, but not sure of i put the meat in the crock pot raw or cook it before putting it in…

    Reply

  61. I a variation of this recipe today for the second time. Instead of ravioli, I added quinoa. I kept the mushrooms and spinach but also added sweet potato, yellow potato, red pepper, eggplant, zucchini, spanish onion, garlic and carrots.
    I simply LOVE the chicken broth/tomato/cream cheese base. mmmmmmmmm

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  62. I made this before in my crockpot and loved it!!! But for time’s sake I’m thinking about doing it on the stove next time instead. Do you have any idea how long it takes on the stove? Thanks for the recipe! My husband and I both devoured it last time!

    Reply

    • It doesn’t take long at all- maybe 20 minutes. Bring everything up to a simmer and once the cream cheese is melted stir in the tortellini and spinach. Once the tortellini is tender, you’re good to go!

      Reply

  63. I made this tonight on the stovetop and it was fabulous! No problems with the cream cheese, in fact the only problem is that I might not have enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply

    • Haha, you know it’s good when the only problem is not having leftovers! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

  64. Oh.my.WOW!! So so so delicious!! I substituted kale for the spinach for some additional protein and it did not disappoint.

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  66. Trying this tonight after having it at a relative’s. Cheese still has a few chunks (probably missing some chemicals -full fat but from trader joe’s)- I think a gentle whisking will help that.
    No mushrooms -husband won’t eat them
    Spinach –I only had frozen so I thawed and threw it in. Think I can save that until the end next time. It doesn’t look as good as the raw but no clumping as others have seen.
    Has anyone else used frozen spinach?

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  67. I used the Philadelphia 1/3 fat cream cheese and it worked just as wonderfully. Sooooo delicious. Just make sure you use a good pasta sauce!

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  68. I made this with regular cream cheese and it still has weird cream cheese chunks. What’s the deal? Does it need to be room temperature first?

    Reply

    • Hmmm, you know I’m going to make it again soon and see what’s up. I made it several times before posting and never had a problem. I think it might have to do with the brand of cream cheese. I’ll do some research and report my findings!

      Reply

    • It would be great with some sliced zucchini, just add it in when you do the tortellini! Otherwise the soup is great even without the mushrooms. 🙂

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  71. Just made this soup — Delicious! I used lower-fat cream cheese, and was a little worried (from the reviews) about it curdling. After I browned and drained the meat, I put the meat back in my skillet and melted/stirred in the cream cheese (on low). Worked great — no curdling, and it’s all incorporated beautifully!

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  72. I made this last night, pretty much as directed- just added the spinach with the tortellini. My husband and kids loved this..I’m having leftovers for lunch today and had to thank you for such a fantastic recipe!

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  73. Loved it! Used ground turkey, low sodium broth, and added the spinach at the end with the pasta. Definately a keeper recipe

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  74. I made this on top of the stove in my dutch oven…I did everything from browning the meats and the mushrooms to the final adding the spinach..And I must say it was probably the best thing ever….SO YUMMY…Thank you..I am making it again tomorrow..

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  75. Just a note, this looks delicious. If you ever have issues with cheese curdling add a pinch or two of baking soda, it’s a trick that works especially when dealing with fat free things. You could try Greek yogurt in this too. I’m sure it would taste good and be less fattening for those that want to try. But if you do add a pinch of baking soda. This is an old chef trick to combat the chemical reaction of the acid and cream.

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  76. Making this for Valentine’s Dinner with some Italian bread and a side salad. Hope it turns out well considering I don’t have a back up plan :-). Im still not sure at what point your supposed to put the meat in so… I just added it with the sauce, broth, cream cheese, ect.

    Reply

  77. We know that low-fat and no-fat cream cheeses don’t work as well as the regular version… Are there any suggestions for a dairy free version of this recipe? Would non-dairy spread work?

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  78. I made this soup tonight as a “fast” in the pot soup. And since I don’t care for tortelli, I used Butoni 3 cheese Ravioletti. It turned out wonderful. I think it’s the best soup I’ve ever EATEN, much less MADE. Thanks again.

    Reply

  80. Made this today, exactly as written. Turned out wonderful! I think I will add the spinach at the very end next time, but it was a huge hit with the whole family. I did use “real” cream cheese, and it was divine! Thanks for a great slow-cooker recipe.

    Reply

  81. I did this in a big pot rather than the crockpot. I used Philadelphia low fat cream cheese and that worked well. I lightly fried my mushroom with some leeks before adding to the soup mix. I also added shredded zucchini to get more veggies in. So far, turning out fabulous!

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  82. This looks delicious! I’m planning on making it for a family party this weekend. About how many servings does this make?

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  83. Yum!!! Loved this recipe. I didn’t plan for dinner on time to do this in the crockpot, so I cooked it on the stovetop and it was perfect. Thanks Heather!

    Reply

    • Cook the meat first and then add it to the slowcooker. If you’re using spaghetti sauce that already has meat in it, you’re good to go! 🙂

      Reply

  87. looks so yummy! think i could replace the ground beef with turkey? as well as the sausage with turkey sausage?

    cant wait to try it!

    Reply

  88. I made this last night and it was amazing. It made about 10 small bowl servings so my fiance and I will have leftovers to eat all week!

    I made a few small changes- I used store bought organic marinara sauce and ground chicken in place of the spaghetti sauce, sausage, and ground beef. I also used a whole bag of spinach and two 9 oz packages of fresh tortellini.

    It was awesome and will go in my recipe box to make again in the future!

    Reply

  91. So, I made this – and it didn’t turn out well. A couple of things to note:

    DO NOT USE ANYTHING BUT REGULAR CREAM CHEESE. I used a brick of fat free. I cut the brick into about five slices and gave it a good stir with the other ingredients. It didn’t melt – it ended up sort of cooking itself like cubes of Indian cheese. I think because reduced fat versions must use some sort of binder to make up for the lost of fat. It tried to break these cook cubes down and stir into the soup, but it just made a big, curdled-looking mess.

    Next – the spinach overcooked into a nasty, gray lump. And the mushrooms shrunk to rubbery nothings. Six hours on ‘low’ is too much for both. I think adding the spinach at the end with the pasta would work better. And perhaps, cooking the mushrooms on the stove top with a little butter and adding it at the end as well.

    Reply

    • Oh no! I’m sorry! I’ve used the lower-fat Neufchâtel cheese with no problem but haven’t tried non-fat, I’ll add a note not to use it. As far as the spinach and mushroom go, maybe my crock-pot runs low/your hot? I don’t know they seemed to be okay for me. Sorry again that it didn’t work out!

      Reply

    • I had the same problems (although I only used a reduced fat cheese). I used my hand emulsifier; it took care of the curdle-like texture of the cheese and the unfortunate spinach texture. (Admittedly, I did not have mushrooms in my soup either. My husband refuses to eat them.)

      Reply

  92. I have dry tortellini – not frozen – how much time should I adjust for these, do you think? I figure they will cook faster, right?

    Reply

    • Actually the dry will take a little longer than the frozen. Depending on their size I’d say 20-25 minutes, but just give it a peek every so often and check for done-ness.

      Reply

  93. Oh my Heather, I’m at work and I must look ridiculous with my mouth hanging open. You’re email came in and I thought I’d take a quick peak at the recipe and then I stopped dead in my tracks because this looks so good. Mouth is watering, didn’t blink for a few minutes there. It sounds so easy too! Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply

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