Try this easy 5-ingredient slow cooker tortellini recipe with ready-made pasta sauce, fresh tortellini, and dried herbs.
It's a hearty, family-friendly meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
This fantastic vegetarian pasta dish is ideal for Meat-Free Mondays. Best of all, it's effortless-no chopping, grating, or stirring required! Just add the ingredients to your slow cooker, set it on high for 2 hours (or low for 3), and you'll have deliciously cheesy, gooey tortellini ready to enjoy!
👩🍳 Love tortellini? Try my creamy oven-baked tortellini or slow cooker tortellini soup next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Just pop everything in the slow cooker and let it do its magic. Perfect for when you're busy or just fancy a fuss-free meal.
- Only 5 Ingredients! Simple shopping, simple cooking.
- Ready-made pasta sauce is a great shortcut for yummy flavours without the extra effort. It makes life a bit easier and the pasta delicious.
- It's the kind of meal that fills you up and warms you up on cold days. Great for cosy nights in or when you need a bit of comfort food.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Tortellini - 2 x 300g packets of fresh filled tortellini from the refrigerator section of your local supermarket. I've used four cheese tortellini, but feel free to use any flavour you like.
Pasta Sauce - 2 x 500g jars of ready-made tomato pasta sauce.
Cheese - For ease, I use a 240g packet of pre-grated cheddar and mozzarella cheese. You can grate the cheese yourself if you prefer. Other cheese such as gruyere and Parmesan would also work.
Garlic Powder - to add flavour.
Dried Basil - scattered over the top for garnish.
🔪 How to make tortellini in slow cooker
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Pour half of the pasta sauce (1 500g jar) into the bottom of your slow cooker basin.
Two: Scatter over one of the packs (300g) of fresh tortellini.
Three: Sprinkle over half of the garlic powder and top with half (120g) of the grated cheese.
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Four: Repeat the process again, using up the rest of the ingredients. Scatter over the dried basil.
Five: Slow cook on a high setting for 2 hours or on a low setting for 3-3.5 hours.
Top Tips
- Spray the bottom of your slow cooker basin with a light cooking oil to prevent the tortellini from sticking.
- If you want an extra kick to the dish, add half a teaspoon of chilli flakes (at the same time as the garlic powder).
- Don't forget to season your dish. While the ready-made sauce will have seasoning, adding a personal touch with herbs or spices can elevate the flavour
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the crockpot tortellini with a crisp green salad and garlic bread, or vegetables such as roasted Tenderstem broccoli, air fryer green beans, or air fryer roasted butternut squash.
📖 Variations
- Use different flavours of tortellini such as spinach & ricotta, or ham & cheese.
- Dollop teaspoons of pesto into the pasta sauce for extra flavour.
- Use a creamy alfredo pasta sauce or cream cheese instead of a tomato-based one.
- Spoon leftover chicken bolognese or a tin of drained tuna between the layers of tortellini.
- Add vegetables such as tinned sweetcorn, tinned mushrooms, baby spinach, cooked carrots, cherry tomatoes, or roast courgettes.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
- Use frozen or shelf stable tortellini instead of fresh. Just add 20 minutes to the cooking time.
🥡 Storage
Store - leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - microwave until piping hot or reheat in a saucepan on the hob.
Freeze - place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Ravioli are usually square in shape, with a flat underside, rounded top and frilled edges. Tortellini, on the other hand, are ring-shaped, at times resembling a tiny croissant.
Yes, you can use frozen tortellini directly in the slow cooker. There's no need to thaw it first. Just remember that cooking times may need to be adjusted slightly.
Yes, you can double the recipe as long as your slow cooker has the capacity. Just ensure that the tortellini is still mostly submerged in the sauce.
😋 More slow cooker recipes
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dahl
- Slow Cooker Pulled Beef
- Slow Cooker Beef Keema
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne
- Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
- Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pork & Apple Casserole
More easy pasta recipes
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Recipe
Cheesy Slow Cooker Tortellini
Would you like to save this?
We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 600 g Fresh Tortellini (4 cheese or similar) 2 x 300g packs
- 1000 g Tomato Pasta Sauce 2 x 500g jars
- 240 g Grated Cheddar & Mozzarella
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Dried Basil
Instructions
- Pour half of the pasta sauce (1 500g jar) into the bottom of your slow cooker basin.
- Scatter over half (1 300g pack) of the fresh tortellini.
- Sprinkle over half the garlic powder and top with half (120g) of the grated cheese.
- Repeat the process again, using up the rest of the ingredients. Scatter over the dried basil.
- Slow cook on a high setting for 2 hours or on a low setting for 3-3.5 hours.
Notes
- Spray the bottom of your slow cooker basin with a light cooking oil to prevent the tortellini from sticking.
- If you want an extra kick to the dish, add half a teaspoon of chilli flakes (at the same time as the garlic powder).
- Use different flavours of tortellini. Spinach and ricotta works well, as does ham and cheese.
- Dollop teaspoons of pesto into the pasta sauce for extra flavour.
- Use a creamy alfredo pasta sauce instead of a tomato based one.
- Spoon leftover chicken bolognese or a tin of drained tuna between the layers of tortellini.
- Add vegetables such as tinned sweetcorn, tinned mushrooms, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, or roast courgettes.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Robin G. says
This tortellini was so easy and everyone loved it!
Janessa says
This was amazing! So delicious and simple and perfect for a busy weeknight.
gunjan says
this was our dinner yesterday and came out so perfect. the flavors were on spot and the texture was beautiful.
Savita says
The recipe is so easy to follow, and turned out super amazing.
Suja md says
Truly amazing in taste and flavors in this recipe. Will definitely make again, very good recipe!
Barbara says
Has anyone added baby spinach? When would you add it? Also, has anyone added a meat? What kind? I'm thinking possibly ham. Thanks for your help.