Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini
A simple and hearty meal perfect for those colder months! This Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini is full of rich and savory flavors. Made with spicy Italian sausage, sauteed vegetables, and cheesy tortellini, this dish will not disappoint!
Warm & Delicious!
No matter the time of the year, PASTA is always a good choice! Whether it’s an appetizer or a main dish, it will always fill you up. With so many options to choose from, pasta dishes are so versatile and pretty easy to make. Stuffed kinds of pasta are one of my favorite types. It’s like you’re getting 2 meals for 1!
My Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini does just that and more! It is full of flavor. From the homemade sauce to the stuffed pasta, this dish is crazy good! It is the perfect dish for those nights where you don’t know what to make. It takes no time to put it together either. Trust me, you’re going to love this dish!
The sauce is the key
Now, I love all forms of pasta! But, if the sauce isn’t ON POINT, it’s not worth eating at all! The star of this recipe is its creamy tomato sauce. It is savory and filled with fresh herbs. It also has a slight kick at the end of the red pepper flakes. Whenever making tomato sauce, I always suggest using quality and fresh ingredients. You will be able to taste the difference in the end.
Fresh Roma Tomatoes are always the best choice for tomato sauce. They are best when they are in season. If you cannot get fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes are the next best option. I usually go for crushed or diced tomatoes. They’ll cook down faster and come in a variety of can sizes.
The fresh herbs added to the sauce bring it alive and help. It helps to mellow out some of the acidity from the tomatoes as well. I always suggest adding the fresh herbs closer to the end. This will help the herbs maintain their overall flavor.
Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini Ingredients:
With dishes like this, FRESH ingredients are so much better to use. But, there are definitely some great alternatives to make this recipe just as good! The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them. The ingredients are also very easy to use and find.
EVOO: The extra virgin olive oil is used for searing and flavor. I used about 3 tablespoons in total. A neutral oil will work as well if you don’t have any EVOO (i.e. vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, etc.)
Spicy Italian Sausages: I love a good Italian sausage on a bun with mustard and sauteed onions and peppers! But, they are just as delicious in pasta dishes. I used about 5 - 6 sausage links and sliced them. They brown really well and make the meal even more hearty. Make sure not to overcook and dry them out.
Yellow Onion & Garlic: These two ingredients add a lot of flavor to the sauce. Plus they are stapled basics in many recipes.
Tomato Paste: The tomato paste adds some depth to the sauce while helping it to thicken. You’ll want to cook the paste into the sauteed vegetables.
Crushed Tomatoes: Crushed or diced tomatoes will work perfectly for this recipe. They both will cook down pretty fast. Plus, they are a great alternative to fresh tomatoes. Diced tomatoes will work as well.
Chicken Stock: I suggest using a good quality chicken stock. A good chicken broth will work as well. It will help to thin out the sauce.
Fresh Herbs: I used basil, oregano, and thyme in this recipe. Fresh is always better in my opinion, but dried can be used for this recipe. The conversions are in the recipe below.
Half & Half: I decided to use half & half to this recipe to cut some of the acidity from the tomatoes and make the sauce a little creamy.
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: These are the main seasonings in the recipe. I made the seasoning pretty simple because I decided to use fresh herbs. I did not want to overpower their flavor.
Sugar: I added a small amount of sugar to the sauce for some balance. The sauce is still very savory even with the addition of sugar.
Red Pepper Flakes: You only need a small pinch of red pepper flakes for a little spice in the sauce. Trust me, a pinch goes a long way.
Cheese Tortellini: You can easily find pre-made tortellini in your local grocery store in the cheese or prepared meals sections. Since they are folded and pinched pasta, you want to make sure that you don’t overboil them. They will easily open up and take on extra water.
Parmesan Cheese: Pasta dishes always taste better with some extra cheese on top! I added about 1 cup of parmesan cheese (both shaved and shredded) to top the pasta off.
How to make Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini
What I love most about this recipe is that it doesn’t matter the time of the year that you make it! This recipe is not complicated at all! You can even make your own tortellini! Fresh pasta is always better anyway. Trust me, this will become one of your favorite weeknight meals. Did I mention that it takes no time at all!
This recipe is a perfect one-pan meal and will have you wanting more and more! The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.
STEP 1: Boil Salted Water & Brown the Sausage. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, heat 3 tbsp of EVOO in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, brown the sliced sausages until browned (about 3 - 5 minutes).
STEP 2: Saute the Vegetables. Remove the sausage slices from the skillet and hold them on a plate. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and saute until soft (about 3 - 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
STEP 3: Add the Tomato Products and Chicken Stock. Add the tomato paste, mix, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Mix and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
STEP 4: Boil the Tortellini. While the sauce is simmering, add the tortellini to the boiling water and boil according to package instructions (about 8 minutes).
STEP 5: Season the Sauce & Add the Half & Half. Season the sauce with 1½ tbsp of kosher salt, ½ tsp of black pepper, 2 tsp of sugar, 1 pinch of red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs. Add the half & half and mix.
STEP 6: Taste the Sauce & Season with Additional Seasoning. Taste the sauce. Add additional kosher salt and black pepper if necessary depending on personal preferences or dietary needs.
STEP 7: Toss the Pasta in the Sauce, Garnish, and Serve! Drain the tortellini completely. Add pasta and sausage to the skillet, stirring gently to coat the pasta with the sauce. Garnish the dish with extra basil and parmesan cheese. Serve & Enjoy!
What to Serve with Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini:
To be honest, this meal doesn’t need any type of side dishes to go with it!
But, it definitely works as a main entree if you decide that you want a few side dishes. Here a just a few of my favorite side dishes that I recommend:
Sauteed Garlic & Lemon Brocollini
Slow-Cooked Kale Greens
Homemade Texas Toast Garlic Bread
Classic Caesar Salad
I’d love to hear your feedback about this EASY Spicy Italian Sausage Tortellini Recipe. Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!
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