Description
A quick and easy 20-minute weeknight meal featuring Italian sausage, fresh tortellini, and a creamy sauce cooked in a single skillet for minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 package (20oz) fresh cheese tortellini
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice onion, mince garlic, and measure cream and broth.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage, broken into crumbles, and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Transfer sausage to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and drained diced tomatoes, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in heavy cream and Italian seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add fresh tortellini to the skillet, stirring to coat in sauce. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tortellini is tender.
- Stir in fresh spinach and let wilt for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cooked sausage and Parmesan cheese until melted and combined.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan or fresh basil if desired.
Notes
Use fresh tortellini as dried tortellini will not absorb the sauce correctly in this one-pot method. Drain canned tomatoes well to prevent a watery sauce. Remove from heat before adding cheese to prevent it from becoming grainy. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content; store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: one-pot meal, creamy sausage tortellini, weeknight dinner, easy skillet recipe, Italian sausage, tortellini, quick dinner, family friendly