Cooking Steps

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Once the sausage is mostly cooked through (about 5-6 minutes), add the diced onion and continue cooking for another 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant, then transfer the entire mixture to your slow cooker.
• While the sausage cooks, peel and chop the carrots and celery into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the slow cooker along with the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together well to combine, then cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
• About 30 minutes before you're ready to serve, turn the slow cooker up to high if it's been on low. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini directly to the simmering soup, stir in the cream and fresh spinach, mixing gently until the spinach wilts into the soup.
• Taste the soup and season generously with salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.