This tortellini with sausage recipe is a quick, easy, flavorful, and comforting dinner that's made all in one pan! Fewer dishes means more time to relax.
I really love the simplicity of this dish. Cheese tortellini is so versatile, and you can dress it up in so many ways.
I've been really loving cooking with Italian sausage these days. Not that it's a new revelation for me or anything, but I keep thinking up recipes that use it. It's one of my all-time favorite ingredients. Some of my best recipes are made with it, including this Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi (One Pan, 20 Minutes), my Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta, these Sausage Stuffed Peppers, and my Zuppa Toscana (Sausage, Bacon, Potato, and Kale Soup).
And there's quite a bit of spinach in here... it's a great way to sneak those greens into dinner. The spinach-sausage-tomato cream sauce combo is just so tasty. I went fairly light on the cream in this recipe, so it's definitely not too rich at all.
How to make this Italian sausage tortellini skillet
- Crumble the sausage meat into a skillet and brown it;
- Add the garlic, broth, tomatoes, cream, and tortellini to the pan; simmer until pasta is cooked and the sauce has reduced;
- Add in the spinach and cook until it wilts;
- Serve with freshly parmesan cheese if desired.
(full instructions are in the recipe card below)
You can definitely use hot Italian sausage if you want a little heat!
Easy peasy!
As I'm typing this up, it's just above freezing outside. And it's only September 27. Apparently it's supposed to snow in Calgary this weekend, but hopefully the snow will miss us. What the heck? I know I live in Canada and all, but it's TOO SOON.
More easy tortellini recipes you'll love:
- Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Cheese Tortellini with Butter, Mushrooms, and Crispy Sage
- Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup with Chicken
- Spinach Tortellini Salad
Will you give this tortellini with spinach and sausage recipe a try?
Questions? Leave me a comment below.
One Pan Tortellini with Sausage
Ingredients
- 10.6 ounces Italian sausages crumbled, see note
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Take the sausage meat out of the casings and crumble it into a skillet. Cook it over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it's browned. Drain the fat and leave the sausage in the pan.
- Add the garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cream, and tortellini. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked and the sauce has reduced to your liking. Cooking the tortellini in the sauce helps thicken it (it releases starch).
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve with fresh parmesan sprinkled over top.
Notes
- I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Anything around 10.6 oz will work, or you can even use more sausage meat if you wish. Try hot Italian sausages if you want some heat!
- I do not recommend substituting the heavy cream because the acidity in the tomatoes will likely curdle milk or half-and-half.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Rita says
I did sub half and half for the heavy cream, no curdling! I used Whole Food chicken spicy Italian sausage and doubled everything else. Actually must have tripled the spinach, 2 cups isn’t much after it wilts. I also added quite a bit of fresh thyme and my diced tomatoes has basil and garlic added.
The 4 of us loved this.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Glad everyone enjoyed it. 🙂
Ruth says
Easy, delicious, and a crowd pleaser!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much, Ruth!
Susan says
Tried it tonight. It was delicious and I’m not a fan of Italian sausage. Thank you for the recipe.
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! Glad you enjoyed it!
A Climer says
Made this tonight and it will definitely be on repeat!!
So simple and quick to make. It was delicious just as the recipe was but I decided to double the liquids because my bag of tortellini was more than it called for. I also added just a dash of Italian seasonings and red pepper. Can’t say it enough just how much we loved this!!!
Natasha says
Fabulous!! I'm so glad it worked out for you and you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Deanna T says
It’s so hard to find a recipe my husband and I want but also that our little kiddos will enjoy. And this was A HIT!! We are a family of 5 and I doubled it to possibly have leftovers…let’s just say there weren’t any haha My husband said “this is easily a top 3 for me”. Thank you for sharing the recipe! It will frequently be in our dinner time rotations for sure
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Linda says
I've made several times...best compliment from son in law" can't get this at restaurant.. awesome"! No leftovers ✌️🥺
Thank you....
Natasha says
Aww that's fantastic!! You're very welcome! Thanks for letting me know, Linda! 😀
greg says
Holy crap..I had frozen tortellini in the freezer and fresh spinach and searched Spinach Tortellini dishes on pinterest and this was the first one that came up.. cooked the frozen tortellini for 3 mins and then just carried on with the recipe and it's undeniably both perfect and delicious. In my rotation forever.. you could add sliced mushrooms, bok choy, endless changes.. but keep the the cream/sausage/parm/spinach/cheese combo and it will always turn out great.. what a winner!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you found this recipe, Greg!! You're right... it's definitely customizable. Thanks for writing me a review! 🙂
Jaclyn says
This recipe is easy and delicious! I added onion and crushed red to mine and used hot sausage. I’ve made this about four times. Great recipe! I’ve thought about adding chicken or shrimp instead of the sausage. Thank you!
Natasha says
Thank you! Glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Anita says
About to try the recipe, it sounds delish. Has anyone used Broccoli instead of spinach?
Natasha says
I think you could do that, but broccoli will take a bit longer to cook.
Melanie says
Hello! I tried this receipe and it was so so good! I’m thinking of trying it with shrimp!? Think it’ll be good?
Natasha says
Great!! Sure, I think you could definitely give that a try. I'd add in the shrimp towards the end so they don't overcook.
Sabrina Long says
Can I use crushed tomatoes instead of diced?
Natasha says
Absolutely. I think the sauce may thicken a little faster, so just be aware you may need to adjust heat/cooking time a bit. Enjoy!
Alysia Keating says
What if I have dry tortellini? 12 oz package. Should I cook it separately first or will it cook in the recipe liquid?
Natasha says
I'd boil it first.
Erin says
One of our favorite weeknight meals!!!! Make it almost weekly but now I need to make a switch to dairy free. I hate to give up this recipe. Do you have suggestions for a dairy free substitute instead of using heavy cream? Thank you!!!
Natasha says
So glad you like it! That's too bad... I heard Silk brand makes a dairy-free whipping cream you could try. I know some readers sub coconut milk. In my personal opinion, it doesn't really taste the same in most recipes and can taste a bit too coconutty, but you could always give it a go.
Meredith says
This was an amazing recipe! Super easy to make and delicious. Thank you!!! I doubled the recipe for my family of 4 with extra for lunches!!!!! Yummy!!!
Natasha says
You're welcome! 🙂 So glad it was a hit.
Marsha says
Made this for dinner tonight. Everyone loved it and it was very quick and easy to make.
Natasha says
🙂
Erica says
Made this using Italian ground turkey,bowtie noodles,fresh chopped tomatoes,and regular milk turned out great!!! Served it with some fresh garlic Tuscan bread
Natasha says
Awesome!! 🙂
Karen Sanders says
So so good and easy!!
Natasha says
Thank you!!
Jamie P says
I've been making this for a while now. My son calls it the "tortellini thingy" and he and my husband crave it at least once a month. Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
Natasha says
Haha I'm so glad the tortellini thingy is a hit!
Hope Ford says
No leftovers! The kids and my husband requested I triple the recipe next time, it was a hit and super quick. My 8 yr. old loved helping make it.
Natasha says
I love that!! So glad it was a hit and that your kid enjoyed helping prep it, Hope!
Tara says
I will definitely try this, fab one pot meal for all the family. The only thing I wish you'd consider doing is to list your ingredients in grams as well as cups. I reckon your international audience would be very grateful! Keep up the amazing food x 😊
Natasha says
Hi Tara! Thank you 🙂 I have considered it... I am going to see if my recipe card has a way for it to convert automatically. I'd have to do some testing, though, because I'm concerned that it may not work properly for every recipe and then people could run into issues.
Bjoern says
Yes, please in gram as well.
That would be much appreciated.
And will be icing on the cake.
Your dishes are fantastic.
Love to cook lots of them and taste is so yummy.
Thanks so much!
Love from Hamburg, Germany
Natasha says
Thank you! 🙂
Christina says
Really good! The flavors together went well and it was much more exciting than the jarred sauce I first had in mind. 🙂 I took a risk and used half and half because I didn’t have heavy cream and it seemed to turn out okay!
Natasha says
Great!! I'm so glad it worked out! 🙂
Sue says
Very tasty! My family is on a tortellini kick right now and this was enjoyed by all, even the picky one.
Natasha says
That's great!!
Cokette says
Made this tonight...very easy and it was so delicious!!! Will def add this recipe to our favorites!
Natasha says
Awesome!!
Nancy Cardarelli says
Can this be made ahead and heated up?
Natasha says
Hi! It can, but in general tortellini/pasta soaks up liquid, so it may get a bit puffy if you leave it too long.
Nancy Cardarelli says
That’s what I thought. I’ll just leave it as is
Jillene says
Loved this! Did add more garlic and next time will try spicy sausage. Family told me to not wait to long to make it again. Great that it’s super fast and easy!!
Natasha says
So glad it was a hit!! 😀
Nicole says
Hmmm..... my tortellini packages are much larger than 9 ounces..... If I use a 750g package will there be enough liquid to pasta, or should i double everything?
Natasha says
Hi! That's over 26 ounces total, so yes, I'd definitely double the sauce.
Stacey Draves says
I made this tonight and it was quick, easy, and very good. I used a chicken sausage cut in thin slices for the meat but otherwise followed the recipe. Oh, I did use a heavy cream "substitute" of milk and butter with a spoonful of flour for thickener as I didn't have heavy cream on hand. I will definitely make this again. You can make several variations of this using different meat, pasta, and veggies..
Natasha says
I'm glad you liked it!
Brandy says
Quick and so delicious!
Natasha says
Yay!!
Caryn says
Very tasty! I used half-and half because this was a "what can we make with this stuff" dinner and we don't keep heavy cream as a staple. Just mixed it with the chicken broth, poured that in first, and then added the tomatoes. Worked great. I have a photo.
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad it worked out! 🙂 Unfortunately there's no way to post photos on here, but if you have an Instagram account and tag me, I will be able to see it!
Breanna M. says
So easy to make and my husband loves it! This recipe will be one of my go tos for easy weeknight dinners. Thank you!
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear that! XO
Kathryn says
This recipe is so easy and delicious! My son told me it was his new favorite meal. I've made it with regular Italian sausage and also with chicken sausage, it was equally delicious both times. I've also shared it with family members who have also made and loved it. Thank you for the recipe it's a keeper.
Natasha says
That's awesome! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe and leaving me a comment. 🙂 Love that it's good with chicken sausage too.
Diane says
Ok I'll revise my earlier comment. I added more chicken broth and though it took longer than 30 minutes it was (is) delicious
Natasha says
Hi! I will delete your first comment, but I was writing my response to that first comment. I'm not sure how it's possible the tortellini took so long to cook. Are you using refrigerated cheese tortellini? They usually take under 10 minutes to cook (close to 5 minutes). Are you using something else?
Aly Foster says
Made this two weeks ago and the family is requesting it again. So good and so easy. I used chicken sausage.
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for leaving me a comment! 🙂
AngelaML says
Hi Natasha,
Back again to rave about yet another of your recipes! You are a genius, my girl friend! People now actually think I can cook, how outrageous is that?!?!
Seriously, this was so easy. You had me at "one pan" in the title. Only 3 steps. Normal ingredients. And so tasty!!! I had made your "Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta" recently and the whole family loved it. I knew this would be as great as it was similar, and it surely was!
The only substitution I made was to use chicken sausage (mild Italian with kale) for health reasons. And I also want you to know that because of you I now consider heavy whipping cream to be an essential that I must have in my fridge at all times!
I found you for your awesome crock-pot soups, and are going to start going back to those. So, so happy I found your blog. Please keep these easy and delicious recipes coming! You're the best!
Natasha says
Haha aww thank you!! I really appreciate your loyalty to my recipes! 🙂
Haleh T. says
So easy and so tasty. I made a vegetarian version with veggie sausage crumbles. I also added more spinach!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!
Alexis says
This is amazingly good. We made it vegetarian by cooking the sausage in a separate skillet and adding a bit of olive oil to the pan we cooked everything else in. Also added a bit more cream and broth to compensate for cooking the meat separately and the fact that we used fresh and not canned tomatoes!! So so so good, definitely going into our regular rotation.
Natasha says
I am so happy that you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Kate says
Should I double the sauce ingredients if I want to use the large 20 ounce package of tortellini?
Natasha says
It'll be very saucy, but I think that would work especially if you have lots of people to feed.
JENNIFER says
What if the tortellinis are frozen? Can I add them into the pan Frozen or do I need to first boil them? Thank you for your help;
Natasha says
I think giving them a little longer to cook should be fine. No need to boil.
Ally says
So amazing!!! Was wondering if this site does the nutritional information at all? Thank you, this is going right into the rotation!!!
Natasha says
Hi Ally!! I'm so glad you liked it. I don't always add it, but for newer recipes I often do. I periodically go back and add it for old ones when I have time. I'll often skip it for the comfort food treat meals because I don't want to deter people from making them just because they're higher calorie. I don't want to contribute to food guilt because there's enough of that already in our diet culture (I think there's definitely pros and cons to showing calorie counts on anything!). Keep in mind that nutritional info is only a best guess - the software I use can't possibly account for specific brands and so forth. If you really need the info for health reasons, it's always best to weigh the actual ingredients you're using and calculate it from there.
Helen says
Hi I’m making this for my residents at work tonight and I need to do a calorie count for a serving. Any idea what the calories are?
Natasha says
Hi! I just added it for you. Keep in mind it's an estimate and brands vary.
Rachel says
SO GOOD!
Thank you for this wonderfully tasty and easy recipe. All I added was chili flakes to the sauce. So so yummy. I wish it made more so I could show it off at work tomorrow. Ha ha.
Thank you again!
Natasha says
Love it! Thanks for leaving me a comment! 🙂
Maria says
EXCELLENT!! I’m surprised there was any left that made it onto the plates! So quick and easy. The Italian sausage gave it an extra flavorful kick. Only change I made was using an entire bag of spinach and it was perfect!
Natasha says
Haha that's great!! I'm so glad it was a hit!
Bob says
Excellent recipe. Wife and I loved it. Only changes I made were to up the amount of liquid in it, really not enough to cook the tortellini and added some extra herbs.
Natasha says
So glad you liked it, Bob! Hmm... I never had any issues with the liquid quantities. Maybe your pan was a different size and it was spread out differently? In any case, I'm glad it worked out!
Kate Mc.burney says
One of my favorite recipes. Super easy. I substitute the cream with cream cheese though 😍 delicious
Natasha says
Excellent!! So glad you like it!
Nancy says
I've been trying a few of your 30 minute meals each week. They're all quick and tasty, but the one pan tortellini with sausage is my husbands favorite, and now he knows how to make it himself! I made it with hot sausage.
Thank you,
Nancy
Natasha says
Aww that's great! Thanks for letting me know, Nancy! 🙂
Terry Chapin says
Fast, simple and most importantly absolutely delicious! Glad I found your website because there’s many recipes Im anxious to try.
Natasha says
Aww I am so happy you enjoyed it, Terry! Let me know if you make anything else. 🙂
Trish says
I go visit my mom on Sundays and I made this dinner. I haven’t been cooking much lately, but thanks to your clear instructions this was easy to make and simply delicious. Thank you!!!
Natasha says
I am so happy you enjoyed it and found the recipe easy to follow, Trish! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Laura says
Quick, easy, and delicious!!! And the best part.. one pan to wash!
Natasha says
That's what I like to hear! 😀 So glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for commenting!
Brittany Rose says
I made this tonight and it was amazing! Half and half was all I had, so i added at the very end and let it heat through. I would give this recipe ten stars if I could!
Natasha says
So pleased to hear it! Thanks for leaving me a sweet comment, Brittany 🙂
Maureen says
Really easy and delicious!
Natasha says
So happy you liked it, thanks for letting me know, Maureen! 🙂
bryan hart says
i have some adirondack venison sweet sausage...and honestly i’m trying to find something to do with it. how about as the sausage in this dish?
Natasha says
Why not! Sounds delicious to me!
bryan hart says
thank you! imma gonna try 🙂
Shirley Boag says
Can you use coconut milk instead of cream?
Natasha says
Hi Shirley! You could try... but it will have a slight coconut flavor and may end up a bit on the oily side.