Description
A rich, comforting one-pan weeknight dinner featuring browned Italian sausage, pillowy fresh tortellini, and a silky heavy cream sauce with spinach, ready in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) sweet Italian sausage (raw)
- 2 medium shallots or yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (100g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- 1 package (24oz) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 4 cups (120g) baby spinach or chopped kale
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta water
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice shallots, mince garlic, and grate cheese.
- Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8-10 minutes until browned and crispy edges form. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in the pan. Drain excess grease if there is more than 2 tablespoons.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced shallots to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create the sauce: Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Bubble for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Cook tortellini: Boil tortellini in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Combine: Add drained tortellini to the cream sauce in the skillet. Toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Finish: Remove skillet from heat. Stir in grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted and glossy. Fold in spinach and cooked sausage. Residual heat will wilt the spinach in about 30 seconds.
- Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and olive oil if desired.
Notes
Use fresh refrigerated tortellini for best texture; dried tortellini can become mushy. Always remove the pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent a grainy sauce. Save starchy pasta water to help emulsify the sauce. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy sauce separating upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 28
Keywords: tortellini, sausage, creamy pasta, one pot meal, weeknight dinner, Italian sausage, quick dinner, skillet meal