Creamy Sausage Tortellini with Spinach
I’m feeling SO summery right now (115 degree weather will do that to you).
We’re spending lots of lazy late afternoons at the pool, walking home at the time the girls would normally be headed toward bed, and it’s been such a nice thing to let myself off the hook as far as our regular schedule goes.
Of course, once we’re home from the pool and everyone is tired and changed into their cozy pajamas, I want a pretty quick dinner so everyone can collapse into bed (myself included).
In a perfect world, I’d be prepared enough to always have a crockpot meal going on the days we swim, but often I don’t decide to take the girls swimming until an hour before we actually go, so there’s no time for the magic of the slow cooker.
On those days, one-pot dinners that are quick to toss together are my best friend.
This one pot pasta is one of my favorites from my blog archives.
In fact, after these banana muffins, it’s probably the most popular recipe on my site (thanks mostly to being featured on Buzzfeed back in 2014).
But I love it because it’s quick, delicious and all my children will eat it.
It’s a perfect mix of summery flavors with the tomatoes and fresh spinach but also substantial enough to fill everyone up with the sausage and tortellini.
And it reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, assuming you manage to keep any leftovers.
Also, it uses one entire pot, which is pretty much my favorite thing on earth when it comes to making dinner.
Because doing a bunch of dishes after dinner feels decidedly NON-summery to me.
creamy sausage tortellini with spinach
Creamy Sausage Tortellini with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 lb smoked sausage sliced into 1/2" rounds
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 14-oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes not drained
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 10 oz tortellini fresh or frozen
- 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil, then add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
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Add the tomatoes and half-and-half, stir and bring to a simmer.
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Add the tortellini, and cover, letting it cook for about 10 minutes, until your tortellini is tender.
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Salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the chopped spinach. Serve hot!
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Kevin and Amanda
This looks like it is so fancy, but I love that it’s actually pretty simple! Tortellini is a go-to around here, but this would take it to the next level for sure.
It sounds like an Instant Pot would be ideal for you. I have one and I love it. All of your crockpot recipes could be converted to quick meals, perfect for those swim days.
Hey!! WE tried this one a while ago and loved it. Then I promptly forgot about it. Glad to be reminded. Also, just a double thumbs up on the updates you’ve made to your site that have made the recipes so much easier to navigate. We enjoy several of your recipes and it’s so nice to be able to find them and print them easily now.
Sam’s sells Tortellini stuffed with sausage. Just perfect with this recipe. Made it today, and we love it! ❤️❤️
I’m going to make this next week for a dinner with friends. Question though: at what point do you put the half and half in?
This receipe has become a family staple. Super easy and really good.
This was super delicious and so easy! Definitely will be one of my new go-to meals!
I subbed rigatoni for the tortellini since I couldn’t find it at the supermarket. I don’t know if I had the fire too high with the tomatoes and half and half were simmering but the pasta did not cook all the way through :/ All of the liquid evaporated by the time the spinach was wilted.
I think rigatoni is significantly thicker than tortellini and cooks much more slowly (if I were cooking them on their own, I’d cook tortellini for about 5 minutes and rigatoni for probably 12).
Sorry it didn’t work out!
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit m i served it with cauliflower with cheese sauce. Big hit and i loved that it was fast and easy. Thanks! !
I made this tonight, added some onions & artichoke. Everything came out great and best of all it only took about 20 minutes from start to finish!
Great recpie. I used fire roasted tomatoes with garlic. Btw fire roasted is not a flavor – there is no spice. It’s a way of preparing the tomatoes.
absolutely loved this – i added mushrooms and chilli’s [ as i used a normal can of diced tomatoes ]
This looks awesome. But what size cans of tomatoes? I usually get the 28 oz cans.
Made this for dinner last night–delicious! I just used 1 can of fire-roasted and 1 can of regular diced tomatoes (we’re wimpy). Thanks for the recipe!
This looks fantastic! Definitely a dish to try when I’m back at uni! 🙂
I made this tonight for supper and my husband termed it “restaurant good.” But, holy hotness! I think I got some very hot fire roasted tomatoes! I wasn’t expecting that, and my girls definitely thought it was too hot for them. That just means more for my husband and me!
Sausage is fast food for people who cook all the time: fast to thaw, fast to cook, and comes pre-seasoned.
I don’t like to eat sausage on it’s own, but I love using it as a flavoring agent in other things. Like this recipe. Which I would eat an entire pot of if I ever made it. Luckily, I probably won’t make it, because half my household doesn’t eat pasta. This is sad, but ultimately much better for me and my non-existent willpower.
I’ve never made anything with tortellini before, but every time I see delicious recipes like this it makes me want to do it!
Going to pick up tortellini next time I’m at the store and make this. Looks delicious!