Italian Sausage Tomato Tortellini

Cheese tortellini cooked with Italian sausage, cherry tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan, and a creamy tomato sauce in one skillet.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Italian-American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 702kcal

Author Michelle Ordever

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet with Lid

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion diced
2 medium garlic cloves minced
½ pound Italian sausage casings removed
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
3 cups marinara sauce
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
12 ounces frozen tortellini not thawed
3 cups baby spinach
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and black pepper, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften and become fragrant.
Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned and mostly cooked through.
Add the cherry tomatoes, marinara sauce, and beef broth to the skillet and stir to combine.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the frozen tortellini and cover the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook according to the lowest al dente cooking time on the package, usually 6-8 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the baby spinach and heavy cream. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the spinach has wilted.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed, remembering that the Parmesan will add extra saltiness.
Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan and chopped basil until combined.
Garnish with additional fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately with a garden salad and breadsticks, and enjoy!

Notes

Tips

Keep the tortellini frozen until you're ready to add it directly to the skillet.
Check the cooking instructions on your tortellini and use the shortest recommended al dente cooking time to avoid overcooking it.
For a quick way to halve cherry tomatoes, place them between two flat plastic container lids, press gently on the top lid, and carefully slice horizontally between the lids with a serrated knife.
Wait to add the Parmesan before making any final salt adjustments, as the cheese adds plenty of savory, salty flavor.

Substitutions

UK readers: Italian sausage isn't as widely available in UK supermarkets as it is in the US. Use good-quality pork sausages instead—simply remove and discard the casings, then crumble the sausage meat into the pan. For a flavor closer to Italian sausage, choose sausages seasoned with herbs or fennel.
Marinara sauce is essentially a tomato-based pasta sauce. UK readers can use a good-quality tomato and herb pasta sauce if marinara isn't available.
In the UK, heavy cream is sold as double cream.
You can use fresh refrigerated tortellini instead of frozen, but adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions.

Leftovers

Let leftovers cool before transferring them to an airtight container and refrigerating.
The tortellini will continue to absorb some of the sauce during storage, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Reheat thoroughly until piping hot throughout before serving.
Freezing the finished dish isn't recommended, as the cooked tortellini and creamy sauce may change in texture after thawing.

Always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Safety (USA) | Food Standards Agency (UK)

Nutrition