1. Brown the sausage
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the Italian sausage and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked.
Drain excess grease if necessary.
2. Cook the onion and garlic
Add the diced onion to the pot and cook for about 3–4 minutes, until softened.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and broth
Pour in the diced tomatoes and chicken broth.
Add the Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
Stir everything together.
4. Simmer the soup
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat.
Cover partially and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
5. Add the tortellini
Add the refrigerated tortellini to the simmering soup.
Cook according to the package directions, usually about 3–5 minutes, until the tortellini are tender.
Don’t add the tortellini hours in advance, especially if you’re preparing this in a slow cooker. They can become overly soft and absorb too much of the broth.
6. Add the spinach
Stir in the fresh spinach.
Cook for 1–2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
7. Add the cream
Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the heavy cream.
Warm for another 2–3 minutes, but avoid bringing the soup to a vigorous boil after adding the cream.
8. Add Parmesan
Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated into the broth.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
9. Serve
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan and fresh parsley.
Serve immediately with crusty bread or garlic bread.
Slow-Cooker Version
If you want to make this in a Crock-Pot, cook the sausage first and add it with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Cook on LOW for 4–5 hours.
Then add the cream, spinach, Parmesan, and tortellini during the final 20–30 minutes, cooking only until the tortellini are tender.
That timing helps prevent the exact problem shown in the original photo: mushy, swollen tortellini and an overly starchy soup. 🍲❤️
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