Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (2024)

This Italian Sausage Tortellini is made with cheese tortellini and fresh Italian sausage in a homemade tomato cream sauce. It’s one of our favorite tortellini recipes.

This Italian Sausage Tortelliniis bursting with flavor. It’s definitely one of those recipes that everyone would rave over at a restaurant — but you can make it at home!Make this the next time you want everyone to RAVE over your cooking!!

My favorite thing about this tortellini recipe is that it’s another one of our signature One Pot Meals. It’s so easy to make, and everything cooks in one pan so you only have one dish to wash at the end of the night!

What is the difference between tortelloni and tortellini?

They’re the same shape, but tortelloni is a little bigger!

Italian Sausage Tortellini Ingredients

Here’s all you need to make one of our favorite tortellini recipes: Italian sausage, tomatoes, chicken broth, diced onions, cheese tortellini, cream, garlic, and fresh baby spinach.

Here’s what the Italian sausage looks like. You can usually find it in Mild, Hot, or Sweet. Johnsonville is a popular name brand that we love! I’m using mild today, but any version would work well here. Try Hot if you like a little spicy!

How to Make Italian Sausage Tortellini (Step by Step)

Start by heating a bit of olive oil in a very large (at least 12-inch) skillet. You could also use a Dutch oven.

When the oil is very hot, add the diced onions.

Next you’ll want to immediately add the Italian sausage. See the casing on the sausage here? For a long time I avoided cooking with Italian sausage because I didn’t want to deal with removing the casing. It just seemed like a pain. But I’m going to show you a trick that makes it SO ridiculously easy. Like so, so easy. I wish I had discovered this years ago!!

Just start near the end and squeeze. It comes right out. So easy. You can squeeze it directly into the pan. No muss, no fuss.

Now, I took a picture of me doing this, to show you exactly how easy it is, but let’s just say… It did not go well. It ended up looking…. uh…less than family-friendly. So, needless to say (since my mom reads this blog) I will not be subjecting you to that picture here. However, you’ll not be surprised to learn thatI did immediately text it to all my friends and we very maturely dissolved into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

It was pretty bad. Kevin just shook his head and rolled his eyes, but I could tell he was mortified.

ANYWAY. Hopefully the picture above is sufficient. It really is easy.

Oh, and I’m sorry I said “squeeze” while pointing at a sausage. SORRY!!!

Please still make this recipe.

Use a spatula to break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces. I made mine about meatball size here, but you can them chop them up to any size you want, even crumbles.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausages are browned.

Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

What kind of sauce to put on tortellini?

Personally I think a tomato cream sauce is the best for cheese tortellini! Add Italian sausage and you have honestly one of the best tortellini recipes!

How do you make tortellini sauce?

Add the broth, tomatoes, cream, and tortellini to the skillet.For this tortellini recipe you can use fresh or frozen tortellini. If the tortellini is frozen, you don’t even have to thaw it first.

Bring it all to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, the tortellini should be soft and plump, and the sauce slightly thickened. Taste the sauce and addplenty of salt and pepper as desired. I used 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Finally, add a couple big handfuls of fresh baby spinach. If you’re skeptical about the spinach, it’s totally optional, but gives the dish a nice bright green color. I promise you won’t be able to taste it at all.

Gently stir just until the spinach is softened and wilted.

Serve it up and enjoy!! Hope you love this Italian Sausage Tortellini!

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Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (19)

Italian Sausage Tortellini

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  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (20) Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (21) Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (22) Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (23) Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (24) Category: Dinner
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (25) Cuisine: Italian

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Description

A quick and easy tortellini recipe with cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and a creamy tomato sauce.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups diced onions
  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage
  • 23 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup regular or heavy cream
  • 9 ounces tortellini (fresh or frozen)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. When the oil is very hot, add the onions. Squeeze the sausage from the end of the link to remove it from its casing and add directly into the pan. Use a spatula to break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned. Reduce heat to low, then add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, and tortellini to the skillet. Stir to combine. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
  3. Cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until tortellini are tender and heated through. Taste the sauce and add plenty of salt and pepper to taste. I used 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add spinach and stir until softened and wilted. Remove from heat and serve

More Quick And Easy Recipes To Try:

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  • Honey Garlic Shrimp Dinner Recipe

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  • Chicken Fajita Pasta

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Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to serve tortellini? ›

Depending on the filling, tortellini are delicious with everything from cream-based sauces to red marinara-type sauces, browned butter, pesto, and even walnut sauce. They remind me of ravioli, so if you'd eat it with ravioli, you can eat with tortellini.

Do you have to boil tortellini before cooking? ›

Can you cook fresh tortellini in the oven? Yes! The best part about this baked tortellini casserole is that you don't have to boil the pasta before you bake it! The moisture from the sauce and spinach is going to provide the perfect environment to cook the tortellini perfectly al dente!

What side dishes go well with tortellini? ›

Crusty Bread or Breadsticks:Serve with crusty Italian bread, baguette, or breadsticks to dip into the flavorful broth. Side Salad:A light side salad with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a simple vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast.

Do Italians eat tortellini with sauce? ›

In Italy, meat tortellini are traditionally served in broth, but they are enjoyed with other toppings, too: cheese sauce, cream sauce, pesto or tomato sauce. There are also cheese versions of tortellini. Tortellini are also eaten for dessert!

Do you eat tortellini without sauce? ›

If I have homemade marinara, I serve it with marinara. If I have a jar of alfredo, I serve it with alfredo. If I have no sauce, I combine butter and olive oil, sprinkle in a generous portion of bread crumbs and toast, and then toss the tortellini in it. If I have no bread crumbs, I just eat it plain.

Do you eat tortellini by itself? ›

Once your tortellini is cooked, savour by itself, toss with a fresh sauce, or use it in a delicious recipe. If you prefer chicken, shrimp or vegetables, tortellini are perfect for an elevated yet simple meal that the entire family will enjoy.

Can you cook tortellini in sauce instead of water? ›

In fact, not only do you not need a huge amount of water to cook perfectly delicious, al dente pasta, you don't need water at all: you can simply cook the pasta in whatever sauce you're planning to toss it with.

Can I cook tortellini in pasta sauce instead of water? ›

Cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water will increase the amount of time it takes to cook through. It's a good technique to use if you want to delay serving your pasta for a few minutes. Make sure to keep the sauce thinned out with pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking if you use this method.

How do I know when tortellini is done? ›

When are tortellini done? When they float and hang out at the top of your pot! spoon! Enjoy!

What three foods are tortellini typically stuffed with? ›

Hailing originally from the Italian region of Emilia, tortellini are also traditionally stuffed with ricotta cheese. But history has shown a willingness for Italian cooks to go well beyond cheese, with various meats like prosciutto, mortadella, and pork loin finding a home inside of the ring-shaped pasta.

How much tortellini for one person? ›

Typically, 2 ounces of pasta (56 grams) per person is a good rule of thumb to follow when you're figuring out how much pasta per person. However, let's explore some alternatives to this rule.

Do you eat tortellini with a fork or spoon? ›

Tortellini in brodo are not a pastasciutta. You are supposed to use a spoon with any minestra in bordo (soup), you are supposed to use the fork only with any minestra asciutta: pasta, risotto or polenta alike.

What do Italians use instead of cream? ›

If you want to make a lighter, lower fat Alfredo, start with the original Italian pasta al burro e parmigiano, that became Alfredo sauce. Basically, you replace the cream with a bit of butter(you can add as much as you like, but you need at least a little.)

Do Italians put onions in pasta sauce? ›

If you see a pasta pomodoro on a menu in Italy, expect a fresh tasting sauce the color of a real, ripe tomato. A true, Italian Pomodoro sauce often begins with soffritto: finely chopped celery, carrot and onion fried in extra virgin olive oil. Then, San Marzano or other sweet tomatoes are added in.

What is Italians favorite pasta sauce? ›

Salsa di Pomodoro

If there's one staple in any Italian home, it's a simple tomato sauce. Pair with almost any pasta shape, toss in a few basil leaves, and enjoy!

How is cheese tortellini traditionally served? ›

Like tortelloni, tortellini can be served with a wide range of sauces or with just butter. But the traditional way to serve tortellini is to serve it with a bowl of rich, flavorful chicken or beef broth. The meat broth enhances the flavor of the seasoned meat in the pasta.

What's the difference between tortellini and ravioli? ›

Ravioli are usually square, with a flat underside and rounded top, with edges cut at a sharp angle and sometimes frilled with a fork. Tortellini are ring or navel-shaped, at times resembling a tiny croissant or even a wonton.

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