Description
A comforting one-pan meal featuring savory Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and a rich garlic-cream sauce, designed for quiet evenings and minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot, casings removed)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 package (20-24 oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice onion, mince garlic, grate Parmesan, and measure cream and broth.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add crumbled Italian sausage and cook for 8-10 minutes until browned and crispy. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan.
- Add diced onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add tortellini directly to the sauce. Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes until pasta is plump and cooked through, stirring occasionally.
- Remove pan from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Add spinach (if using) to wilt from residual heat. Return cooked sausage to the pan and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, or black pepper.
Notes
Use fresh refrigerated tortellini for best texture. Remove from heat before adding Parmesan to prevent graininess. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water or broth. Do not freeze as the cream sauce may separate upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 36
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 22
Keywords: comfort food, one pan meal, quick dinner, creamy pasta, sausage tortellini, easy weeknight dinner, self-care meal