Have you got a little time to spare earlier in the day but absolutely none at dinner time? This is where the slow cooker can be such a life saver for busy families, and this veggie packed tortellini bake is here to deliver.
This is pure comfort food, unsophisticated, simple, budget friendly (check out the Aldi tortellini!) – but as tasty as can be thanks to my unique method for bringing out the best in our vegetables. The gooey cheese gives it a fun side and you can completely customize the recipe by changing the veggies or adding other ingredients as you wish (capers and olives work well, for example, or chili will add a fiery kick).
How to make a legit tasty sauce for tortellini in the slow cooker
There are definitely trade offs with slow cookers, and if you’ve ever been disappointed with a slow cooker recipe’s somewhat flat flavor, I hear you. But this recipe is different!
Dull, homogenous flavors in veggie based slow cooker dishes are generally because the ingredients haven’t been pre-cooked or browned in oil, and are essentially just left to boil in their sauce, which is never going to be ideal for veggies. But if you are pre-browning the ingredients, you’re not making life any easier for yourself, and you’re increasing the number of pans you have to wash.
My solution for this recipe is the same as it was for my Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto – to add the ingredients in two stages. In the first stage we use the slow cooker to braise all the veggies in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, right there in the slow cooker pan, which will bring out their best flavors before we add in the tomato passata. It makes a huge difference! The veggies are rich and flavorful and all the juices and oil they stew in will form the base of the sauce.
Which Veggies to Include
I use mushrooms, peppers and eggplant (aubergine) for this recipe which I find to be spot on for flavor and texture. You can, however, mix and match and adjust quantities to account for your own preferences and what you have available. A couple of things to note would be:
- I do think that mushrooms are always worth including for the umami flavor so if you don’t have those, you may wish to throw in some Worcestershire sauce or any other umami boosters you can think of.
- It helps if some of your veggies to have a high moisture content to them – think mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, or zucchini – to ensure that while braising, the contents of the pan stay moist enough not to stick. If you don’t have any of these veggies in the mix, use the LOW setting and just check in regularly to see how they’re doing. You can add the passata earlier if you find the veggies are getting sticky.
- If you want to add some spinach, kale or other greens, go for it! You would add these alongside the tortellini and let them wilt down in that final hour of cooking.
- Just FYI, my eggplant (aubergine) is a graffiti eggplant which is a slightly smaller breed. They are less bitter than the normal ones – as an eggplant skeptic I find them much more palatable!
Q: Can I use something else instead of tomato passata?
Passata (sometimes known as tomato puree in the US) is my top pick for this recipe because it’s so thick and smooth.
I don’t recommend canned tomatoes because they really need to cook down and thicken, which won’t happen in a slow cooker since no moisture is being released. If you need to use canned tomatoes, stir in a few tablespoons of tomato paste to help with the thickness.
You could use marinara sauce in a pinch, but the recipe was designed to bring in enough flavor to accompany a plain passata, so we’d be doubling up. If you’re using marinara I would reduce the garlic and salt and omit the sugar from this recipe.
Q: What cheese is best?
Something on the drier side that melts, like grated mozzarella or some kind of grated cheese blend. I love to use mozzarella for the fun cheese pull effect! You could use cheddar grated off the block, though it may melt into the sauce a little more and not get stringy (whether this is a pro or a con is a matter of personal taste).
I would just avoid fresh mozzarella (the kind that is packed in water) if you can. Slow cookers don’t allow moisture to escape so all of the milky liquid would just pool at the top of the pan as it melts.
Q: Can I use frozen tortellini?
My recipe was designed around fresh tortellini which is more common in the UK, but I know frozen is more common in the US. There’s no reason this wouldn’t work with frozen tortellini, but the cook time will be longer if you’re adding it from frozen. I would initially cook it for 1.5 hours and then test one to see if it’s ready. If you try this, be sure to leave a comment and let me know how it works!
More Ideas for You:
- If you’re interested in flavorful and well tested vegetarian slow cooker recipes, be sure to check out my popular Mushroom Risotto and Dahl Makhani recipes – these get rave reviews!
- If easy tortellini meals are your jam (and how could they not be?!), this Baked Tortellini with Spinach & Cream Cheese is a true “dump and bake” recipe. One Pot Tortellini with Mushrooms and Marry Me Tortellini with Broccoli are both super quick dinners! And this Pesto Tortellini Bake will clear your fridge of veggie scraps within an hour!
Slow Cooker Veggie Tortellini Bake
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 small (or 1/2 large) eggplant / aubergine , chopped into small cubes
- 10 oz (285 g) mushrooms , chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp mixed Italian herbs
- salt and pepper, to taste – be generous!
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 18 oz (500 g) packaged fresh tortellini, see notes if you're using frozen
- 28 oz (790 g) passata
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable stock
- 7 oz (200 g) grated mozzarella or blend
Instructions
- Add all of the veggies, garlic and herbs to the slow cooker. Pour in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix to get everything well coated. Add lots of salt and pepper to taste. Cook on HIGH for 2+ hours or LOW for 4+ hours.6 cloves garlic, 1 small (or 1/2 large) eggplant / aubergine, 10 oz mushrooms, 1 medium red bell pepper, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp mixed Italian herbs, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 medium onion
- Check in on the veggies. They should have reduced in size, with lots of the liquid having leached out into the pan, they will have a sheen to them, and a delicious garlicky scent. You can leave them a little longer if you need to.
- When you're an hour away from eating, it's time to add in the remaining ingredients. Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting if it wasn't already.
- First add the tomato passata, sugar, vegetable stock, tortellini and mix through.18 oz packaged fresh tortellini, 28 oz passata, 1/2 cup vegetable stock, 1.5 tsp sugar
- Add a handful of the cheese to the pan and stir through, then add the remaining cheese to the top. Replace the lid and leave to cook for one further hour.7 oz grated mozzarella or blend
- After one hour, the cheese should be melted and the tortellini cooked through.
- Serve.
