Slow Cooker Meatball Tortellini

I have a love-hate relationship with slow cooker recipes. They are so convenient to prepare but I find that many taste somewhat bland and contain certain components that are mushy (it’s hard to cook veggies and meats well when they are all in one pot at one temperature). Nevertheless, I’ve been using my slow cooker at least once per week in order to avoid using the oven during these hot summer months.

When I came across this recipe, I thought that it sounded like it would taste pretty good after I made some modifications. I was correct—it ended up being a pretty flavorful dish—and, like other slow cooker recipes, it was super easy to prepare and cleanup was a breeze. It even got my husband to eat three different veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots), which is nearly enough to make any recipe a winner in my book!

Ingredients

(Adapted from this recipe.)

• 1 package (28-32 oz.) frozen fully cooked meatballs, thawed (I used turkey)
• 1 package (19 oz.) frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of celery soup
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 package (16 oz.) frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Several dashes Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

Stir together the meatballs, tortellini, cream soups, broth, vegetables, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours (or until the veggies and pasta are tender).

Stir in the sour cream and parmesan cheese before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Click here to view the nutrition facts and a printable version of the recipe.

Notes

As you can see, this recipe was easy to prepare. It had a nice, savory flavor that made the vegetables tolerable for my husband and kids. In my opinion, it could have used a larger package of vegetables in order to balance out all of the meatballs and tortellini, but I’m certain my family would disagree and say it had plenty!

I’m not a huge fan of using canned cream soups in my cooking. They aren’t particularly healthy or particularly tasty. Unfortunately, I rarely have time to prepare homemade versions of these (such as my homemade cream of mushroom soup). The fact that this recipe calls for canned cream soups is really my only issue with it. However, on days when I don’t have much time to prepare dinner, this recipe is one I’ll consider because of its convenience and family-friendly flavor.

Have you tried any new slow cooker recipes lately? I’d love to hear about them!

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Busy Monday, What’s for Dinner? Link Up, and Weekend Potluck.