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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  • Chicken Fajita Pasta

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Italian Sausage Tortellini — Our Favorite Tortellini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I serve with sausage tortellini? ›

Serve Creamy Italian Sausage Tortellini

I like to top the skillet with a little bit of dried parsley. Serve with a Caesar salad and some bread sticks or garlic bread!

Does tortellini mean belly button? ›

Legend claims that Tortellini was inspired by the goddess Venus' navel. An Italian medieval legend tells how Venus and Zeus, weary one night after their involvement in a battle between Bologna and Modena, arrive at a tavern in a small town on the outskirts of Bologna.

What's the difference between tortellini and tortellini? ›

Tortelloni is pasta in a similar shape, but larger, typically 5 g, vs. 2 g for tortellini. While tortellini has a meat-based filling, tortelloni is filled with ricotta and sometimes with parsley or spinach.

What do Italians eat with tortellini? ›

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!

What is the best way to eat 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.

How is tortellini traditionally served? ›

tortellini, a ring-shaped Italian pasta stuffed with cheese or meat that is most traditionally served in broth (en brodo), though other sauces—including those made from tomato, mushroom, or meat—are also popular.

How is tortellini eaten in Italy? ›

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 is a nickname for tortellini? ›

The many alternative names of tortellini — ranging from “navel” to “love knot” — reflect the folk tales and mythologies surrounding this unassuming pasta.

What do Italians call tortellini? ›

The word tortellini is a double diminutive in Italian. The starting word is “torta,” meaning cake, which is lessened to “tortello”—a filled pasta similar to ravioli—and finally we get to “tortellini,” which basically makes it a small-small cake.

Can 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.

What is tortellini at Olive Garden? ›

Asiago Tortelloni at Olive Garden is a cheese-filled pasta dish with a blend of Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses tossed in a creamy Alfredo sauce that's perfect for those craving some comfort food.

What is a bigger tortellini called? ›

Tortelloni. These are basically large tortellini (“-one/-oni” is an aggrandizing suffix in Italian). The fillings can vary, but they are less often filled with meat and more often with cheese and vegetables such as spinach or mushroom.

How to make store-bought tortellini taste better? ›

Simple Tortellini Soup

Chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes create a flavorful base for the cheese-filled ring pasta to swim in. Add white kidney beans for a punch of protein. Sliced zucchini adds texture and flavor. Sprinkle grated Parm cheese on top of the steaming soup and serve.

What do you drink with tortellini? ›

Tortellini should be paired with a medium red wine or a bold white wine. It is a dish from Emilia-Romagna, and you should try to pair it with an wine from that region. Ribolla Gialla is from Friuli but its spicy notes match the nutmeg in the stuffing.

Do Italians eat pasta or salad first? ›

a first course (primo), usually a dish based on pasta, risotto, rice, polenta, legumes, or a soup; a second course (secondo), based on meat, fish, dairy products such as cheese, or eggs; a side dish (contorno) of raw or cooked vegetables, which accompanies the second dish; seasonal fruit (frutta) as a conclusion.

What is a good side dish with tortellini? ›

The best side dishes to serve with tortellini are garlic bread, roasted vegetables, stuffed shells, chicken gnocchi soup, baked ziti, pizza pasta, Caesar salad, tomato bruschetta, Italian sausage, antipasto salad, steamed asparagus, and creamy polenta.

What goes good with Italian sausage for dinner? ›

Italian sausage makes any meal a little more savory. Hot or mild, whole or crumbled, it pairs well with a variety of vegetables — including bright peppers, crunchy kale, fennel, and briny olives — as well as beans and pasta.

What side dish goes well with sausage? ›

You can cook up some vegetables alongside sausage on the grill or use your oven for a roasted version. You can cook any veggies you like — we recommend tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and red onion. Cut up all your veggies and let them marinate in a sauce of oil, garlic, vinegar and Italian spices.

What to pair with Hungarian sausage? ›

Hungarian co*cktail Sausages

Serve for breakfast with egg and tomatoes, add in a charcuterie board or a cheese platter with delis and cold cuts. Pair with the apéritif or serve in a sausage party. These mini sausages will fit perfectly.

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