Crockpot Sausage Alfredo Tortellini

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Chicken broth
• 44 oz Alfredo sauce (Two 22-ounce jars; homemade Alfredo sauce may be used instead.)
• 1 cup Roasted red pepper slices (Dice smaller if desired.)
• 36 oz Frozen cheese tortellini (One 36-ounce bag.)
• 2 lb Italian sausage (Browned on the stovetop before adding to the slow cooker.)
• 2 cup Fresh spinach (Optional; broccoli may be substituted, but add it before cooking rather than at the end.)
• 2 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese (Optional, though recommended by the author.)

Steps

1. 1

   Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet on the stovetop, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.

2. 2

   Pour the chicken broth into the crockpot. The author notes that the broth can also be poured into the Alfredo sauce jars and shaken or swirled to help remove the remaining sauce, then added to the crockpot.

3. 3

   Add the Alfredo sauce to the crockpot. Use two 22-ounce jars, or substitute homemade Alfredo sauce if desired.

4. 4

   Add the roasted red pepper slices. Dice them smaller first if you prefer smaller pieces.

5. 5

   Add the frozen cheese tortellini and the browned Italian sausage to the crockpot.

6. 6

   Stir everything together until the sauce, tortellini, peppers, and sausage are evenly distributed.

7. 7

   Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours.

8. 8

   When the tortellini mixture is done cooking, add the spinach. The spinach is optional; if using broccoli instead, add the broccoli before the main cooking period rather than at this stage.

9. 9

   Add the shredded mozzarella cheese and stir everything together. The spinach should begin wilting from the heat.

10. 10

    Cover the crockpot again and cook for 10 minutes more, allowing the spinach to wilt further and the cheese to warm through.

11. 11

    Stir once more and serve hot.

Notes

The spinach and mozzarella are optional additions. The author says broccoli can replace the spinach, but it should be added before the main cooking period. The source does not specify a serving size or exact doneness cue beyond the stated cooking times.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• slow-cooked
• crockpot
• Italian-inspired
• family dinner
• comfort food
• cheesy
• easy