Slow-Cooker Creamy Tomato and Tortellini Soup

As they say, opposites attract. That’s certainly the case with sweet, acidic tomatoes and creamy dairy—in all its many forms. After all, it’s this better-together combination that makes lasagna so luxurious, pizza so mouthwatering and grilled cheese and tomato soup so irresistible. So when we set out to make an extra-easy slow-cooker soup, we knew we wanted it to feature this combo. But hold on—dairy in the slow cooker? That’s usually a less-than-ideal combination (dairy can easily curdle in the slow cooker). That’s why the trick to this recipe is waiting until the end to add the cream and cheesy tortellini. That’s right, we decided a double-dose of dairy would be the perfect complement to the tomatoes in this soup, and the result is rich, velvety and very comforting! And that’s not all, the dollop of fresh pesto adds bright, anise-tinged notes and the sprinkle of shredded Parmesan adds nutty richness that take this simple soup to the next level!