My One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Smoked Sausage is a match made in heaven! It’s a delicious one pan meal that combines the tender, cheese filled pasta with savory smokey sausage and wraps it all in a creamy cheesy tomato sauce. One bite and you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life!
*This recipe was originally posted in 2014 and has been updated for 2017.
One Pan Meals have long provided record breaking traffic to the blog. People really fell in love with the One Pan Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta and others like my One Pan Caprese Pasta and One Pan Beef Stroganoff (my personal favorite).
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I did make one small change to the recipe this time around (but left both versions in the printable recipe). I had originally used a big can of whole tomatoes that you cut up yourself in the can, but I’ve found that I prefer crushed tomatoes. Using crushed eliminates a step, and they taste just as fresh if you use a good quality brand like San Marzano.
So really it’s not a huge change and you can stick with whatever type of tomatoes you prefer.
To make the One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Smoked Sausage, start by cooking up the smoked sausage with some fragrant diced onions and a little garlic. That alone will make your kitchen smell divine and you might want to just start picking them out of the pan and eating them one by one. But refrain! You’re so close because this recipe is incredibly easy.
Once the onions are soft and the sausage is browned, you add in the rest of the ingredients (minus the cheese) – Refrigerated Tortellini (whatever flavor you prefer), a 20 oz can of crushed tomatoes or cut up whole tomatoes (use your kitchen scissors and cut them up right in the can), a cup of chicken broth or water, and salt and pepper. Give it a few quick stirs while you let it come to a boil. Then cover it up and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you could leave the lid off while it simmers at a higher heat, stirring often, to cook it a little faster.
Once the pasta is tender, you just add in the cheeses. The sauce will seem thin, but will thicken as it sits. Cover to allow the cheese time to melt, then serve hot.
This is one that I will definitely be adding to my monthly meal plan, because my kids LOVED it! You can kick it up a little by adding two cans of Rotel Tomatoes instead of the whole canned tomatoes, too. If not for my picky kiddos, I would have added a couple big handfuls of spinach.
One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 1 pound package of smoked sausage cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 20 ounce package of refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes cut in the can with kitchen scissors
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded jack cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened; 3-4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides.
- Stir in chicken broth, tortellini, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is tender, stirring at least once to prevent sticking. *There should still be liquid in the pan to make the sauce, but if it seems excessive, you can remove some with a large spoon. (If you want a quicker cooking method, set at medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring often for about 8-10 minutes).
- *If there is too much liquid left in the pan, spoon some out. But be sure to leave enough behind to make the sauce.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, reserving a handful for sprinkling on top. Cover and let stand for five to ten minutes, or broil for 2-3 minutes to brown. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
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Love my One Pan Creamy Tortellini and Smoked Sausage? You might also like these easy dinner recipes:
Sheet Pan Italian Chicken and Vegetables
Italian Sausage & Tortellini Skillet
One Pan Creamy Lemon Artichoke Tortellini
One Pan Ham & Cheese Tortellini
For all One Pan Meals go HERE, for all dinner recipes go HERE and for the Recipe Index go HERE.
Hi! I’m Kristin, the creative mind behind Yellow Bliss Road where you will be inspired by tons of easy to follow recipes, lots of free printables, and a little sprinkling of life thrown in for good measure.
This looks so delicious! I’m trying this asap!
this looks absolutely amazing – and will be added to our meal rotation for sure!
How many servings does this yield? I’m feeding three men with big appetites that start out with big portions and usually go back for seconds. Could I get 6 to 8 portions out of your quantities above?
Generally speaking, I’d say most of the one pot meals yield 4-6 servings.
All I can say is you’re making me crave Tortellini Sausage with Tomato Cream sauce and it’s 6:20 am here!
I’m making it now and it looks delicious! The only problem with the recipe card is that it doesn’t say to cover it, however it does in the written description.
Can I use frozen tortellini?
For this recipe I think it would add too much water. It might work if you cut back on the liquid and don’t cook for as long.
I made some changes based on items in the fridge/freezer I needed to use up, which included frozen tortellini. I didn’t measure but used leftover chopped tomatoes (close to amount needed), probably 2 cups broth, low fat cream cheese, maybe a cup of reduce fat shredded cheese and some leftover Irish bangers and chunks of chicken I’m trying to use up. Very quick, warm and hearty and paired it with roasted zucchinni. I think this would have about 4 good sized servings. I’d double it up if I had four hungry men! Leftovers aren’t the worst thing but I doubt there’ll be any! Very good tomato taste!
Did you add the sauce that comes in the tomato can or strain out just the tomatoes?
You do not strain, add everything in the can. 🙂
If you use frozen tortellini, do you have to boil it first?
Thanks!
I wouldn’t use frozen tortellini, as it will add more liquid to the dish. You could always boil it separately and add it in on the last couple of minutes.
In the pictures it looks like you used a green onion, so is that the only onion you used in the recipe, or did you dice up a yellow/sweet onion and use the green onions as a garnish towards the end?
If adding spinach, should it be added with the onion and sausage while browning or when the tomatoes, tortellini, and chicken broth are added?
Also, do you recommend turkey kielbasa over smoked kielbasa for any particular reason?
Add it when you add the tomatoes and and broth. Also, I prefer turkey sausage because it’s healthier. 🙂
I don’t care for tomatoes (whole/chopped etc), would a basic tomato sauce with instead? Or perhaps paste?
It would change the consistency of the dish. Without trying it I can’t say what the ratios should be.
Sounds wonderful!
Is it 4 cups shredded cheese, 2 of each? Or 2 total?
It’s two cups total. You can combine the two cheeses or just use what you have.
I used this recipe as my basis for Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup. While sausage and onion were browning I put the chicken broth(app. 4+ cups), the tomatoes(1-small can of diced and (1) can of diced with green chilies in my slow cooker( I have the type that you can brown/saute in, set it on 375 degrees to bring to a boil quickly) and added my frozen tortellini, sausage and onion. I used 8 oz. of cream cheese, taking one cup broth( of the total 4 cups) that I had saved out and heated, adding together and blending well(I used my hand mixer, cause sometimes it’s hard to get the cream cheese to incorporate completely).Add to slow cooker(that has been turned from the 375 degrees to high. Then the shredded cheese (I used what I had which was mozzarella and cheddar, pepper and Italian seasoning(no salt cause the broth has plenty, usually). I like my soups creamy, so I added some cornstarch mixed with cold water to thicken – totally up to your preference. You could add spinach or mushrooms if desired Velvetta could be used instead of the shredded cheeses. A roux could be used instead of the cornstarch.
It was delicious!!!!
P.S. If you are thinking about replacing your slow cooker, I highly recommend the Cuisinart 3-in-1 Multicooker. Well worth the money!
I made this last night, it’s delicious. Next time I think I will add some peppers and fresh basil. I think that would be delicious too! Thanks for sharing!
Just made this, it was amazing!
I used prefrozen pasta, I just let it thaw on the counter for a bit and drained off the excess water 🙂
Absolutely amazing…I added garlic and some parsley.
Personally I did not care for this recipe. WAY too much cheese. The sauce basically just tasted like a cheap mac n cheese. I would say if you do want to try it to start out with HALF the amount of cheese listed and then add a little at a time if needed, but I do not know why you would need it. My husband and I love cheese, and this was just too too much.
Sorry you weren’t happy with the recipe. My family loved it as is, but results can vary from kitchen to kitchen. 🙂
“Personally I did not care for this recipe. WAY too much cheese.”
-Nobody ever
Haha! Good one Kaelah! I thought this dish was awesome. My husband and I are huge cheese fans, so this was perfect. I thought it was delicious and I’ll be making it again and again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Made this for my husband and I last night, and it was amazing! I used Andouille sausage and it added a rich spiciness to the mix. I’ll definitely be making this again- thank you!
Made this tonight. I added cherry tomatoes to the onions and sausage. Substituted diced tomatoes and used pepper jack cheese which gave a nice little kick. BIG HIT. Thinking of adding peas next time.
I made this last night and it was an immediate family favorite. Even my toddler who is going through a “picky” phase loved it. I used ricotta & spinach filled tortellini and it was amazing!
I thought this was pretty good, but a little salty. Will skip the extra salt next time and try adding zucchini.
Looks wonderful can’t wait to try this one out !
Do you think I could freeze the leftovers?
I haven’t tried, but I would think so. I’ve refrigerated and heated and they came out fine.
Leftovers freeze well.
Made this and LOVED it! I am wondering if anyone has tried doing a freezer meal out of this recipe, where you can prepare/make it before and then freeze until your ready to eat??
When do you add the cream cheese? After it simmers for 15-20 mins and before you add the shredded cheese or do you add all the cheese all at once including the cream cheese?
You add all of the cheeses at the same time.
This is so yummy; made it a handful of times now! I have to ask though, where do you find a 20 oz can of diced tomatoes?? I have only found 14.5 or 28! I’ve been able to “make it work”, but just wondering. Thanks! 🙂
So sorry, it’s 28 oz. Typo!
This was SOOO good! Definitely a keeper. I added some mushrooms and bacon bits in with the mix and served with a salad and garlic bread. The husband loved it!
By the way- I noticed some of the people on here wondered if frozen tortellini would work. That’s all they had at my grocery store so that’s what I used and it worked great- had no problems.
Made this tonight and my kids and I give it ‘two thumbs up’! Per your suggestion, I substituted Rotel for the canned whole tomatoes and also added spinach. The Rotel gave it a nice mild spice and the spinach was a great addition. Thank you for this recipe!
Yum! Thanks for coming back to share!
My husband and I were spending an extended amount of time in a hotel. While it did provide a full, albeit communal, kitchen they had almost nothing in the way of cookware. I asked for cooking utensils and got tongs, LOL! Anyway, I bought some cheap utensils and made this in the one “large” pan they gave us. It was a tight squeeze, but it all fit! My husband and I were able to eat a “home made” meal instead of fast food, which I was getting absolutely sick of! I just paired it with one of those steam in the bag veggie mixes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to use it at home when I have all my spices so I can play with it a little!
I’m so glad it worked for you, and hope you’re back in your home soon!
It’s a keeper! I had everything on hand and everyone loved it. Thank you! One pot anything is a life saver!
Fixed this for the first time yesterday. It was great! Thanks for sharing.
This is a FABULOUS dish! 100% hit with the family. And so easy!!!!
I made this tonight, and it was a hit. We loved it! 🙂
Great recipe! I had to make a few changes based upon what I had on hand.
I used 9oz frozen tortellini. I was worried this wouldn’t be enough, but the ratio of sauce to pasta to sausage is perfect! I let this thicken, uncovered, after adding the cheese by allowing it to simmer on low for about ten mins.
I used half mozzarella and half cheddar. Added some basil and garlic. I also only had three sausages – this was quick, easy, and delicious. Thanks!!
Made this with my boyfriend last night. SUCCESS! So fast, cheap, and easy to make but looks and tastes fancy 😉 We added a little extra cream cheese and it was perfect!
So glad you enjoyed it!
made this last night–sorry, but it, in my opinion, totally lacks flavor. leftovers–no way–once was enough1
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it!
Why do you use whole tomatoes and then cut them up? Why not use diced tomatoes?
The whole tomatoes just have a fresher taste to me, but you could use whichever you’d prefer.
This was very good. Highly recommend
I made this tonight – followed it to a T
DELISH
However I had a lot of liquid – anything to thicken it other than cornstarch or is it suppose to be on the liquidy side?>
This looks SO delicious! I am eager to try it out. However, 3 out of 5 members of my family are allergic to dairy which makes most of the amazingly delicious recipes I find on Pinterest not doable for us. Boo. 🙁
Has anyone had any luck making this sans cheese? Kristin, do you think leaving the cheese out would change the dish up too much?
Thanks!
Hi Jessica, cheese is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe. You could probably leave it out, and also use a dairy free tortellini, but I can’t speak for how well it would work. Sorry!
This is by far one of my favorite recipes – ever! I made it again tonight, for the… 4th time? Because my bf and I enjoy this immensily. It’s hearty, rich and flavorful – a great meal to cook up after a hard day (or any other day, cause it’s just so delicious). Thanks a lot for sharing this! I already have the ingerdients for another pot-ful in the fridge! ^^
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment. So glad you’re enjoying it!
Warm, Yummy, Goodness! This soup is now in my favorite soup list! Not sure if I was off with my package of tortellini (1/2 of the Costco package and of course the side without the amount), but I had to add a total of 32 oz. of chicken broth so that we would have soup and not a cheese casserole!
I added two handfuls of spinach and easily could have added two more! Served with salad and baguette bread slices (to soak up the juice!).
It’s a hit Kristin! Thanks!
Made this on Monday and ….O….M….G!!!! AMAZING!!! I don’t like whole tomatoes so I used 2- 8oz cans of tomato sauce and one small tomato paste. Both by Hunts with the basil, oregano and Italian seasons.
I added a 1/4 cup more broth and dropped the cheese back to 1 1/4 cups. It was outstanding! And even better the next day! It will definitely be going into our monthly rotation! Thanks!!!
Davina, did your recipe tweak create the dish as more of a soup or more of a casserole?
Hi Kristin,
I was wondering if you used a yellow or white onion in this recipe?
I have used both. It doesn’t really seem to make a difference.
Looks delish! Could this possibly be converted into a crock pot meal?
I haven’t tried that, but I’d worry that it would be soggy. Let us know if you try it!
Can ravioli be used in place of tortellini? I pinned this today but only have ravioli on hand! Was going to make for dinner on this snowing day!
I haven’t tried the same recipe with ravioli, but yes I think it would work. Might need to adjust the cooking time.
I made this tonight and I gotta say………..
I Loved It! I’ll be adding it to my favourites.
I did how swap the turkey for the leftover ham I had, left out cream cheese as I didn’t have any, used a can of diced tomatoes (19 fl oz)-drained it.
I used my frozen tortellini and it all fit in my large stir fry pan and used the lid till the last few min, took it off to let extra liquid evaporate.
It turned out wonderful and soooo yummy!
Thanks to so much for the great recipe.
I will be trying this tomorrow. It looks delicious and so very easy!! I purchased boxed tortellini….guess I didn’t read the ingredients well enough. Do you think this will work?
Is this possible to make in a crock pot instead?
I haven’t tried it, but it’s a very different method of cooking and the timing and amounts would have to be adjusted. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it was!
Are there any seasonings that would go good with it to give it more flavor?
Loved this!!! The only thing I think I will change is substitute the whole tomatoes for tomato sauce instead. Other than that, great flavor!! And it makes a ton!
I agree! I tried this recipe tonight and I thought that spaghetti sauce or vodka sauce would be better than the canned tomatoes. Also- I would use a little less pasta and add other veggies I like.
i bet with shrimp and a few veggies this would be great!
I made this for dinner tonight and just want to say YUMM! and THANK YOU! Clean up was a cinch, it was delicious and my temperamentally picky 20-month old son even asked for seconds! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
I never write reviews but I made this and it was better than I thought. I like the creamy texture without adding any milk or cream. I added yellow bell pepper, parsley, mushrooms and mixed in the green onions at the end. I used diced tomatoes. The family loved it!!
Is this a soup or a casserole dish?
It’s a casserole type dish.
Trying this tonight! Added mushrooms, peas, and used fresh cut tomatoes instead of canned. Simmering right now and smells so good!
About how many tomatoes did you use??
I made this tonight! At first when my fiance asked me what I was cooking for dinner and told him I was trying something new, he was skeptical then when he was eating it. He had more then just one plate so did my 2 year old and my very picky 1 year old. Thank you for sharing this delicious meal
This is a nice week night meal! I drained the oil, and deglazed the pain with wine, doubled the meat, drained my stewed tomatoes and added a splash of prego sauce! Came out great! Love one pot wonders ! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I made this last night because I love the idea of using kielbasa in a pasta dish. Whenever you’re using canned tomatoes in a recipe, you should always add sugar to offset the bitter taste that tomatoes often have. In this recipe, I used 1T granulated sugar and of course, salt & pepper are necessary as well. I sauteed two cloves of garlic with the onion. I also omitted 1 cup of the shredded cheese and replaced it with 4 oz. of cream cheese. I also added a cup of peas at the end of the cooking time. They were a great flavor and color addition. Great recipe, I’ll definitely make it again!
Thanks for your feedback Stephanie. I disagree about adding sugar though. If you cook the tomatoes like the recipe states, you should need to add any additional sugar.
I wonder if using frozen tortellini would change the cook time or the process at all? We’ll see tonight! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m using frozen now and wondering how it’ll turn out. Any pointers real quick?! 😉
Hi Kristin! I made this for dinner a couple weeks ago, substituting lean ground beef for sausage and it was delicious! my husband, toddler, baby and I all gobbled it up! I’ll definitely be making it – and probably other riffs on it – again. Thanks!
This might seem like a silly question but does this call for 2 cups of each shredded cheese or just 1 cup of each?
It’s a total of two cups of shredded cheese. 🙂
I had the same question and am making tonight so thanks for asking first!
I can’t wait to try this when my family comes to visit. I don’t see the actual recipe though. Can you please email it to me?
Thanks so much!
Thanks for your message. We are working on some technical issues, but I am seeing the recipe when I click on the post. Please clear your cache on your internet browser and try again. Thanks!
Where did the list of ingredients go?
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Hi Kristin,
I’m excited to make this tonight! Quick question….I add the cream cheese at the very end with the rest of the shredded cheese correct?
Thank you!
Hi Morgan! Sorry I didn’t get to this before you made your dinner – I hope it turned out amazing! Yes, you add the cream cheese with the other cheeses. 🙂
Thank you! I did just that and it was amazing. I will definitely make this again!
What kind of onions did you use?
I usually use either white or brown onions, anything but red.
I have made this several times. My husband and I love it. Thanks for a great recipe!
how,any does this recipe feed?
It makes approximately 4-6 servings.
I’m making this tonight for the second time! The first was a major hit, my boyfriend and I both loved everything about it. This time though we have to make it using a large sauce pot instead of a pan (our sautee pan got lost while moving). Do you think it will turn out alright still?
Where did you find brown onions?
Could you use spagetti sauce instead of the tomatoes?
I haven’t tried it that way, but the texture and consistency would be different. I would think it would still work though. If you try that, please come back and let us know how it turns out!
I’m making this tonight for our 4 year anniversary! Would a spicy kielbasa work? If so, what would you recommend? Thank you!
Have you ever made this as a make ahead and freeze meal? If you have, did you thaw it first and then bake or do the straight out of the freezer to the oven process?
Oops change the bake to cook..
No I haven’t tried that. But if you try let us know how it works out!
I froze leftovers, let thaw at room temp & reheated slowly. I think if it is possible….. could have been better than first time around. Awesome freezer meal! Thanks for great recipe. I use chicken sausages just because that is what I have on hand.
I just HAPPENED to have tortellini and some beef sausage links. I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes and added 1 1/2 cans of water with some chicken base (no chicken broth). OMG, and I cook all the time. This just made the “sports practice night” rotation.
Made this tonight for dinner, before I added the cheeses I thought that it wasn’t going to turn out, but it looks good now! I also don’t have a pan like that (College student on a budget) but with some reworking it turned out fine although it did turn into a two pan meal 😉
I made this tonight for my husband and me. Followed it exactly. We loved it! Both of us went back for seconds. So glad we have enough for a second night. I will be sending this on to my daughter. I will be making this again for company that will be coming in a few months. They will love it! Thank you!
A little late, but whatevs. I made this last night, and OMG, it was great. I was kinda nervous about how it would turn out, especially when i found out we would be having a guest over. My boyfriend and him BOTH went up for seconds. I skipped out on the cream cheese, I put it in there and nothing was happening. I just took it out, and it was still amazing. Another thing I did was just diced tomatoes. I just don’t trust the scissors my boyfriend has had for the last, who knows, how many years. I will definitely will be making this again and I’m even telling my friends how amazing it was! 🙂 Thank you!
Made this for a birthday dinner last night. It was easy and crowd pleasing. I featured the recipe on my blog where I write about trying out ideas I find on Pinterest. Check it out! https://iampinderella.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/cheesy-tortellini-sausage/
So glad you all enjoyed it!
This looks delish, but I wish there was calorie count. My husband and I are trying to drop 15 lbs., so I always check calories before I make something. Any idea?
Hi Lisa,
As I’m not a nutritionist, I am not comfortable adding that type of information. However, there are lots of apps and sites, like My Fitness Pal, that can help you. Good luck!
I entered the ingredients into sparkpeople and came up with the following.
This is for the whole pan, so you’ll have to divide it by the number of servings you portioned it into.
Calories: 3,305
Total Fat: 146g
Saturated Fat: 62.5g
Cholesterol: 692mg
Sodium: 7,453mg
Potassium: 902mg
Total Carbohydrate: 316g
Dietary Fiber: 22g
Sugars: 24g
Protein: 196g
This has got to be one of our favorite dinner recipes! It was such a hit; fed about 6 people and everyone was raving about how delicious it was the entire time. I switched out the diced tomato for 20 ounces of Ragu and a can of tomato paste. So, so easy and delicious. 🙂
I want to make this but all i have in hand is frozen cheese tortellini… any advise on how to alter this for the frozen stuff?
I’m adding this to my two-week dinner menu and can’t wait to try it! Can you tell me the total prep and cook time? Thanks!
Made this and it was quite yummy, BF said it reminded him of a dish his grandma made! Can’t wait to try it again and add some fresh spinach!
Just wondering though, are you supposed to add the juices from the canned tomato? or drain them? Thanks!
Yes, keep the juice. So glad you enjoyed it!
My family loves this recipe, I love making it. It is delicious and so simple to make. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Very good. Very easy to make. It’s just my husband and i, and even with him eating 2 huge helpings, there’s still a lot left. Will definitely be making this again.
Sooo watery. Wanted to love this dish because of the comments but unfortunately the turkey sausage tasted like hotdogs (would’ve used pork) and the canned tomatoes made for a watery sauce.
This is going to sound bad but I am a horrible cook and hate to cook…that being said can I use frozen tortellini since I have it in my freezer? Maybe defrost it or cook it first?
It should be fine, maybe let it defrost for 5-10 minutes first, but honestly you probably don’t even need to do that. Might give off a little extra liquid but you can always strain that out.
I was trying to come up with a delish dinner, I took this recipe and used it as a base. I made mine with roasted red pepper soup, kielbasa, and mini cheese filled tortellini. Wow. You were right, I don’t know how I lived without it! Thanks the inspiration! (I didn’t add tomatoes but medium salsa instead)
Hi I was just wondering do you think your one pan smoked sausage and tortellini would work as a freezer meal?
I am a bit cautious of freezing cheese dishes, so I probably wouldn’t freeze this one.