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Tuscan Sausage Tortellini – Creamy, Comforting, and Weeknight-Friendly

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • Cheese tortellini: 18–20 oz, fresh or refrigerated
  • Italian sausage: 1 lb (sweet or hot), casings removed if using links
  • Olive oil: 1–2 tbsp
  • Yellow onion: 1 small, finely chopped
  • Garlic: 3–4 cloves, minced
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: 1/2 cup, chopped (oil-packed, drained)
  • Crushed tomatoes or tomato passata: 1 cup
  • Chicken broth: 1 to 1 1/2 cups, low sodium
  • Heavy cream: 3/4 cup (or half-and-half for lighter)
  • Baby spinach: 3–4 cups, loosely packed
  • Parmesan cheese: 1/2 cup, freshly grated, plus more for serving
  • Italian seasoning: 1 tsp
  • Crushed red pepper flakes: 1/4 tsp (optional)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper: to taste

Method
 

  1. Brown the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and no longer pink, 6–8 minutes. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
  2. Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  3. Add sun-dried tomatoes and seasoning: Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  4. Build the sauce: Pour in crushed tomatoes and 1 cup chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Cook the tortellini: Stir in tortellini. If needed, add up to 1/2 cup more broth so pasta is mostly submerged. Cover and simmer over medium-low, stirring once or twice, until tortellini are just tender, 4–6 minutes (check package timing).
  6. Make it creamy: Lower heat. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan until smooth and silky. If sauce seems too thick, splash in a bit more broth. If too thin, let it bubble gently for 1–2 minutes to reduce.
  7. Add the greens: Fold in spinach and cook until just wilted, 30–60 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  8. Serve: Spoon into bowls. Top with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil if you like.