Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Tortellini Soup

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Enhanced Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Tortellini Soup

Base Ingredients (10 items):

1. Italian Sausage (1.5 pounds, remove casing if needed)
2. Cheese Tortellini (1.5 packages, about 30 ounces, refrigerated or frozen)
3. Baby Spinach (6 cups, fresh)
4. Chicken Broth (6 cups)
5. Heavy Cream (1.5 cups)
6. Diced Tomatoes (2 cans, 14.5 ounces each, with juice)
7. Onion (1 large, diced)
8. Garlic (4 cloves, minced)
9. Italian Seasoning (1.5 teaspoons)
10. Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Enhancements:

1. Red Bell Pepper (1, diced)
2. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (1/2 teaspoon, for a bit of heat)
3. Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup, grated, for serving)
4. Fresh Basil (1/4 cup, chopped, for garnish)
5. White Wine (1/2 cup, optional, for deglazing the pan after cooking sausage)

Instructions:

1. Prep Work:

   • Dice the onion and red bell pepper: Cut into small, uniform pieces, about 1/4 inch in size.
   • Mince the garlic: Chop into very tiny pieces, almost a paste.
   • Remove casing from sausage if needed: Cut along the sausage and peel off the outer skin.
   • Grate Parmesan cheese: Shred into small pieces using a grater.
   • Chop fresh basil: Cut into small pieces with a knife.

2. Cook Sausage:

   • In a pan, cook the sausage over medium heat until browned. Break it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Once done, drain excess fat.
   • Optional Step: After browning the sausage, deglaze the pan with white wine by pouring it in and scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer for a minute before adding to the slow cooker.

3. Sauté Vegetables:

   • In the same pan, sauté the diced onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic until softened (about 5 minutes). This means cooking them in a little oil until they are soft and slightly golden. Add to the slow cooker.

4. Assemble Ingredients in Slow Cooker:

   • Place the browned sausage, sautéed vegetables, diced tomatoes (with juice), chicken broth, and Italian seasoning into the slow cooker.
   • Stir to combine.

5. Slow Cook:

   • Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

6. Add Tortellini and Spinach:

   • About 30 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and fresh spinach to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
   • Cover and cook until tortellini is tender and spinach is wilted (about 30 minutes).

7. Add Cream:

   • Stir in the heavy cream and let it heat through for a few minutes.

8. Season to Taste:

   • Taste the soup and add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes as needed.

9. Serve:

   • Ladle the soup into bowls.
   • Finishing Touches: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil on top before serving.

Tips for Elevation:

• Deglazing: Adds depth of flavor by incorporating browned bits into the dish.

• Sautéing: Enhances sweetness and flavor of the vegetables.

• Garnishes: Fresh basil and Parmesan cheese add freshness and umami.

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For more context or online reading, consider checking out advanced cooking techniques and flavor enhancement tips.