Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini Recipe
Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini– Need an easy and delicious dinner? Let your slow cooker do all the work of making this rich and flavorful Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini! It is a huge hit with our family and any time we have guests over for dinner.
A few years ago when we were stationed in Kansas, I babysat for a friend of mine and ate some leftovers that she had in the fridge.
After my first bite of this delicious crockpot tortellini, I knew I had to have the recipe! I’ve been making it on a regular basis ever since and it has become one of my favorite, easy dinners.
The hardest part about making this is cooking the ground beef and italian sausage, which takes all of five minutes. So really not that hard.
The meat sauce cooks all day and is rich and flavorful once it’s time to eat. Add in some tortellini, top with cheese, cook a bit longer, and voila! Mmmm delicious dinner!
Ingredients for Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini
- ground beef
- Italian sausage
- marinara sauce
- sliced mushrooms
- Italian style diced tomatoes
- fresh cheese tortellini
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- shredded cheddar cheese
How to Make Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini – Step by Step
- Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain the grease.
- Combine the ground meats, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours.
- Stir in the tortellini, and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on LOW, or until the tortellini is tender.
Tips and Notes
- I use a six quart crockpot to cook this recipe, but it will work for a larger size crockpot as well. If you have a larger size pot, you could also double the recipe.
- Feel free to replace the canned mushrooms with fresh mushrooms, or leave them out altogether if mushrooms aren’t your thing!
- If you like more noodles, you can use a larger package of tortellini (19 oz). I actually use the larger size pretty often since my kids like more noodles!
- You can use frozen or dry tortellini in place of the fresh tortellini. Frozen tortellini takes about the same amount of time to cook as the refrigerated tortellini in the original recipe. For dry tortellini you will need to add extra time, about 10-20 more minutes.
Can I freeze Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini?
Yes! You can freeze any leftovers you might have (we do this all the time). Just place the completely cooled leftovers in a freezer safe container with a lid and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the container in the refrigerator then either warm up in a saucepan on the stove over medium low heat, microwave the leftovers, or even place in your crockpot on “warm” for about an hour.
More Delicious Crockpot Dinners

Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 (24) oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 (4) oz can sliced mushrooms
- 1 (14.5) oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (9) oz package refrigerated or fresh cheese tortellini
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage together in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
- Combine the ground meats, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours.
- Stir in the tortellini, and sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on LOW, or until the tortellini is tender.
Notes
- I use a six quart crockpot to cook this recipe, but it will work for a larger size crockpot as well. If you have a larger size pot, you could also double the recipe.
- Feel free to replace the canned mushrooms with fresh mushrooms, or leave them out altogether if mushrooms aren't your thing!
- If you like more noodles, you can use a larger package of tortellini (19 oz). I actually use the larger size pretty often since my kids like more noodles!
- You can use frozen or dry tortellini in place of the fresh tortellini. Frozen tortellini takes about the same amount of time to cook as the refrigerated tortellini in the original recipe. For dry tortellini you will need to add extra time, about 10-20 more minutes.
The best spaghetti sauce I’ve ever had! And the recipe was enough for 2 dinners…bonus! I used half for the tortellini as shown here, froze the other half, then heated it up tonight for a spaghetti dinner. I will use this one over and over!
Yay!!! Lisa I’m so thrilled to hear that! And isn’t it great when you can get two meals out of one? Whoo hoo! Thanks so much for coming back and giving your review! 🙂
I made the sauce and refrigerated it overnight because I did not have time to complete the recipe. Can I just reheat it in the crockpot and then add in the tortellini like the recipe suggests?
Also, what is the best way to store this? Is it best to freeze it or refrigerate it?
Hi Kate! I sent you an email yesterday, let me know if you didn’t get it. 🙂
All I have is frozen tortellini. Will that be ok to follow your directions with cooking for 15 min in crockpot or should I cook on stovetop then add. I’m fixing this tonight.
Hi Gwen! You can definitely use frozen tortellini. 15 minutes should be sufficient. Just check it to be sure and give it a few more minutes if need be. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
I have this in the slow cooker right now, and am very excited about the final product. I have recently begun working nights, so cooking dinner for my family has become more of a challenge. I was thrilled to find something this easy, and adaptable to what I have on hand. I made a few changes just based on what I had in my fridge/freezer/pantry… fresh mushrooms instead of canned, bell peppers, diced onion, and I didn’t have any Italian sausage, so I increased the amount of ground beef and added some extra Italian seasoning. It smells wonderful, and I think it will be perfect for an unseasonably cold day (it’s snowing here, more than a month before our earliest snow in recent memory).
Hi Mrs. Gamgee! All of your additions sound perfect, and this is a great meal for a snowy day, even if you weren’t anticipating one so early! Crock pot meals are so nice when you’re busy, and I bet your family really appreciates you putting in the time to still make them a good dinner when you’re working. I hope it turned delicious and you’re staying warm where you are! 🙂
Hi Ashlyn, I made this dish tonight for dinner along with a salad and italian bread. It was a big hit. It was extremely simple and oh so very delicious. Thank you so very much for sharing !! Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer 🙂
I am thrilled to hear that, Esther! This is one of our absolute favorite meals; we actually had it for dinner a couple nights ago! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it. 🙂
Hi Ashlyn, I made this for dinner tonight along with a salad and italian bread. It was a big hit. Extremely simple and absolutely delicious. Thank you so very much for sharing 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your summer !!
Okay I am a newbie to the tortellini world lol I bought dry tortellini that you boil just like traditional pasta… Should I boil it and then just add it at the end? Or do you think it would get tender if I added it at the beginning dry and let it cook all day? Thanks so much!
I would of course add in some beef broth to provide liquid to cook the tortellini 🙂
Hi Ashley! I’ve made other recipes where I have added dry pasta at the end, and let it cook. I would think you could add dry tortellini at the end, just like the refrigerated kind, and it should cook just fine. It would probably take a little longer than the fresh, maybe another 10-15 minutes, but I think it would still be fine! I don’t think I would put it in with everything at the beginning because then it might get mushy. A little beef broth might be good, too! Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Ashlyn,
What a great recipe to have for a busy day, plus it looks like fabulous flavor! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen!
This is a perfect family meal in my house!! I’m featuring this post on Best of the Weekend. Thanks for linking up.
Nichi, thank you so much for the feature! I love coming over for y’alls awesome party! Headed that way, now. 🙂
I’m so glad your son had such a great time at school on his first day! I remember how excited we both were when my daughter started Pre school! This meal looks like the perfect way to cap off a busy but great day!
It’s bittersweet when they start preschool isn’t it? Hope you’re having a better week and recovering well from that accident, Carrie!
Oh goodness! This looks so easy and absolutely delicious! I’m a sucker for anything smothered in cheese 🙂
Me too, Cathy! I don’t think I could live without cheese! 🙂
Who doesn’t love an easy, yummy crockpot recipe! I love my crockpot and use it all the time – it is absolutely one of my favorite appliances.
I am right there with you, Danielle! It’s definitely one of my favorites, too. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
What a great crockpot recipe! Glad I found your site throughout a link-up. Pinning this now 🙂
So glad to have you following along, Jillian! Especially since you’re a fellow Dawg! Looking forward to all the great things to come from your blog, girl. 🙂
That looks amazing!! I hope you don’t mind but I am totally going to use your recipe but replace the meats with beans and see what the family thinks! Thanks for sharing. 😀
Of course, Valerie! Let me know how it turns out. I love to have a few meatless meals each week. 🙂
This looks amazingly delicious! I pinned this but I’m literally going to the freezer now to see if I have the stuff to make it for dinner! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by to visit me from the link party. Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🙂
ang
jugglingactmama.com
Thank you, I hope you and your family enjoy it like we do. I’m still craving your Almond Joy Brownies. Need to make those soon! 🙂
Oh Im drooling over this recipe Ashlyn! It looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Kelley! We sure love it! 🙂
Hi Ashlyn, found your recipe via Monday Funday. Anything with that much cheese in it has to be good! We love pasta dishes in this house, and I make lots of breadmaker breads, so I’m really looking forward to trying your recipe out! Thanks for sharing it!
Val
Ooooh, I’ve been wanting to get a bread maker! I’ve never made my own bread but have wanted to try. Hope you enjoy it, Val! And I agree, anything with lots of cheese is good in my book. 🙂
Love crockpot recipes and this one sounds delisious thanks for sharing at One More Time ..Tammy
Thank you, Tammy!
Crockpots are one of the most underrated kitchen tools! I’ve found I’m so much more productive when I use one and don’t have to stop and think about what I’m going to cook for dinner, getting the ingredients then actually making it, which I usually do around 4 in the afternoon and by the time I’m finished it’s 7. I’m not one of those organized individuals who plans out their weekly meals and shops once a week :/
A crock pot truly is a time saver and your recipe sounds scrumptious Ashlyn!
Thank you, Doreen! I know what you mean. There are many evenings where dinner time rolls around and I don’t have anything made! When that happens, we usually end up having eggs and toast or BLT’s! It’s nice to have the crockpot do it all, if you have the ingredients on hand, that is! Hope you’re having a nice week. 🙂
Oh my YUM! This looks so easy and delicious!! Congrats on your son starting pre-school! I can’t believe you were on the wait list that long! And congrats on the new house! Lots of changes going on for you! I am super excited to try this tortellini!!
Thanks Jen! Yes, a lot of changes going on around here but things have (finally!) slowed down a bit. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the tortellini!
Oh wow, this looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday.
Thanks for having me, Cindy!
OMG That looks so yummy!
Thank you, Wendy! I promise you it is! 🙂
this looks sooooo good! love anything covered in cheese
Natasha @ Serenity You
Oh me, too! Cheese is my downfall. Thanks for dropping by, Natasha! 🙂
Oh me, too! Cheese is my downfall. 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting, Natasha!
This looks awesome! I love crockpot recipes!
Crockpot recipes are the best! Thanks for coming by, Savanna!
The crockpot is one of my very best friends! Especially when I started working. It is truly a great invention and this meal looks so yummy. I would eat this for dinner every night!
I know what you mean, Ashley! The crockpot makes life so much easier. And I would totally eat this every night, too. It is really good. Thank you so much for visiting!
I have picky eaters. Would it be ok to delete the mushrooms and diced tomatoes?
leaving out the mushrooms would probably be ok, but I don’t know about the diced tomatoes.
You could but those profligate the flavor, why don’t you course chop in processor and add to sauce in crock pot, it will cook together and no one’s will know and you will incorporate somE healthy stuff into their meal.
How many people does this feed?
Hi Vanessa, so sorry I’m just now seeing your comment. I’m finally returning to blogging after taking some time off from being sick from my pregnancy. This makes a good bit; it feeds my family of four with leftovers for the next day so I would say it feeds about 6-8.