SLOW-COOKER CHEESY BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND TORTELLINI SOUP

Slow-Cooker Cheesy Butternut Squash and Tortellini Soup image

Squash and apple are brilliant additions to this creamy, beer-spiked soup, made extra rich with three kinds of cheese.

Provided by By Tieghan Gerard

Categories Entree

Time 2h15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 small sweet onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, finely diced
3 cups cubed butternut squash
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 can (12 oz) beer (I used pumpkin beer)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
10 oz cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese (6 oz)
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
4 oz crumbled blue cheese, if desired

Steps:

Spray or grease 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, apple, squash, carrots, chicken broth, milk, beer, crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt and pepper.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or High heat setting 2 to 4 hours. Squash should be tender.
Transfer soup to blender; puree until smooth. Return to slow cooker.
Add tortellini and cheeses; stir to combine. Cover; cook on High heat setting about 10 minutes or until tortellini is soft.
Ladle into bowls; garnish with extra cheese, if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 310, Carbohydrate 26 g, Cholesterol 85 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 4 g, Protein 15 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1130 mg, Sugar 9 g, TransFat 0 g