This post is sponsored in conjunction with National Slow Cooker Month. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of unique slow cooker recipes. Our amazingly generous sponsor, Rhodes, recently gifted me with an apron, cookbook, and several packages of dinner rolls. All thoughts, ideas, recipes, pictures, and general silliness contained within this post are solely my own and not necessarily that of the sponsor.
Looking for a quick-fix easy weeknight pasta recipe? This Mexican cheese tortellini is the perfect dish for a busy evening. The sauce cooks in a slow cooker during the day, and then, when you arrive home, you simply pop the tortellini into the sauce until it’s cooked through. It’s quick, easy, convenient, and absolutely delicious.
I don’t think tortellini showed up in my childhood household until somewhere around my mid-teens. And honestly, I can tell you that it was definitely not a welcomed arrival. It was part of a boxed pasta salad kit, where you boiled the dried pasta, and then used a seasoning packet, mixed with a few other ingredients, to make an utterly disgusting meal. Sure it was edible, but it really wasn’t all that great, and it was definitely not something you would ever develop a craving for. The cheese inside of the tortellini was always powdery and the seasoning tended to either be too bland or too salty. There never seemed to be a great balance.
Now, with the abundance of fresh tortellini available in most markets, tortellini has actually become something I have developed a fondness for. There are so many flavors to choose from, it only takes about four minutes to cook in boiling water, and the ways to enjoy it are pretty much limitless. And, I’m happy to say, that powdery cheese texture from the past that I dreaded so much, is definitely not something I need to worry about anymore. With tortellini recipes like this quick and easy slow cooker one, I can get dinner on the table in a jiffy and not have to dredge up old childhood memories of those utterly disgusting boxed tortellini meals from the past.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 Cups Half and Half
- 2 Teaspoons Taco Seasoning (Additional for Serving)
- 1 (10-oz.) Can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- 1 (4.5-oz.) Can Chopped Green Chiles
- 4 Large Carrots, Peeled & Sliced
- 1 (20-oz.) Bag Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini (Family Size)
- Dinner Rolls for Serving (Optional)
Directions:
- Place the broth, half and half, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and sliced carrots into a slow cooker.
- Stir to combine and then cook on high for 4 hours.
- Add the cheese tortellini, stir to combine, cover, and then allow to cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is cooked through.
- Serve garnished with a sprinkle of additional taco seasoning.
- If desired, serve with dinner rolls to absorb the delicious tortellini sauce.
Suggestions:
- You can use either whole milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream in this recipe. The sauce will be thinner or thicker depending on which liquid you choose to use.
- I suggest using Homemade Taco Seasoning in this recipe. It has less sodium than most store-bought versions. The additional sprinkle of taco seasoning for garnish adds both color and flavor.
- For a busy weeknight meal, cook the sauce for this pasta on low heat for 8 hours. When you arrive home, increase the heat to high, and then add the pasta after 15 minutes and cook until soft.
Improvements:
- Add a small finely minced onion.
- Use vegetable stock or broth in lieu of chicken broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Add sliced browned kielbasa to the slow cooker for a meatier version of this recipe.
- Garnish with chopped scallions or fresh cilantro.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 Cups Half and Half
- 2 Teaspoons Taco Seasoning (Additional for Serving)
- 1 (10-oz.) Can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- 1 (4.5-oz.) Can Chopped Green Chiles
- 4 Large Carrots, Peeled & Sliced
- 1 (20-oz.) Bag Refrigerated Cheese Tortellini (Family Size)
- Dinner Rolls for Serving (Optional)
Directions:
- Place the broth, half and half, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and sliced carrots into a slow cooker.
- Stir to combine and then cook on high for 4 hours.
- Add the cheese tortellini, stir to combine, cover, and then allow to cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is cooked through.
- Serve garnished with a sprinkle of additional taco seasoning.
- If desired, serve with dinner rolls to absorb the delicious tortellini sauce.
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Use this Homemade Taco Seasoning to make this Green Chile Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini. Why buy pre-mixed taco seasoning when you can make it at home in just a few minutes? You’ll love having some on hand for any time you feel like adding a little bit of Mexican flavor to your recipes and you’ll also love that it has way less sodium than most store-bought versions. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
Please make sure to check out the other great “National Slow Cooker Month” recipes below or CLICK HERE to see more Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck crockpot and slow cooker recipes.
- Green Chile Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Slow Cooker Amish Chilly Day Soup by Frugal & Fit
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti by Blogghetti
- Slow Cooker Kidney Bean Curry by The Spiffy Cookie
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Herb Dinner Rolls by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Slow Cooker Chinese Barbecue Pork {Char Sui} by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken Sandwiches by Palatable Pastime
- Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Slow Cooker Pizza Dip by Family Around the Table
- Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Slow Cooker Sausage Pasta e Fajioli Soup by Savory Moments
- Southwest Slow Cooker Pasta by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Winter Bread Pudding by The Freshman Cook
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck National Slow Cooker Month Recipes
Green Chili Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini
Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce
Slow Cooker Bacon & Yellow Split Pea Soup
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