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This One Pan Creamy Sausage Tortellini is cheese-filled pasta and smoky sausage simmered together in a rich tomato cream sauce. Everything cooks in the same skillet, tortellini included, so dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes with exactly one pan to wash.
More tortellini dinners: Italian Sausage & Tortellini Skillet | Cheesy Baked Tortellini Casserole | Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Before You Get Started
Three things make the difference between a creamy tomato sauce and a tomato sauce with cheese in it.
- Don’t skip the cream cheese. It’s what turns crushed tomatoes into something creamy. Leave it out and the dish reads as sharply tomato-forward.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheddar and jack are coated in starch that keeps them from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Leave liquid in the pan. The sauce looks too thin when the tortellini is tender. It thickens as it stands with the cheese.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Sausage Tortellini
The whole thing happens in one deep skillet. The tortellini simmers directly in the tomatoes and broth, which means it takes on flavor instead of plain water.
1. Brown the Sausage and Onion
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook just 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the sliced smoked sausage and cook until browned on both sides. Those browned edges are worth waiting for. They leave behind bits of flavor that end up in the sauce.
- Swapping the sausage: Kielbasa and andouille both work here. Andouille brings noticeable heat, so start with less if you’re feeding kids.
Prefer penne to tortellini? My One Pot Cheesy Smoked Sausage Pasta Skillet uses the same smoked sausage with a different pasta.
2. Add the Tortellini and Tomatoes
Stir in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, refrigerated tortellini, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring it up to a boil, stirring often so nothing settles on the bottom.
The pan will look very liquidy at this stage. That’s exactly right. The tortellini absorbs a good amount of it as it cooks.
- Want to add vegetables? Stir in a couple of big handfuls of fresh spinach along with the cheese at the end, or add sliced mushrooms or bell peppers with the onion in Step 1.
3. Cover and Simmer
Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tortellini is tender. Stir at least once partway through. Tortellini sinks and will stick to the bottom if you leave it alone the whole time.
You’ll know it’s ready when the pasta has plumped and puffed slightly and gives easily when you press a piece against the side of the pan. Refrigerated tortellini cooks fast, so start checking at 10 minutes.
If you want it faster, leave the lid off and simmer at medium-low instead, stirring often, for about 8 to 10 minutes. It cooks quicker but needs more attention.
4. Stir in the Cheese and Rest
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream cheese, cheddar, and jack, holding back a handful of the shredded cheese to sprinkle on top. If there’s more liquid in the pan than you want, spoon a little out first, but leave enough behind to make a sauce.
Cover and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes so the cheese melts through and the sauce thickens. For a browned top, slide the pan under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes instead. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.
Make it richer: A splash of heavy cream or a handful of grated parmesan stirred in at the end softens the tomato edge if you prefer a milder sauce.
One pan pasta dinners are what I lean on when the week gets away from me, and my Creamy One Pot Pasta Recipes collection has more of them.
What to Serve Alongside
This is a rich, cheesy skillet with a tomato base, so it wants two things next to it: something to catch the sauce, and something green and crisp to balance it out. Pick one from each and the meal is done.
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Homemade Garlic Breadsticks
- Caesar Salad or a Side Salad
- Garlic Green Beans
- Oven Roasted Broccoli
Storage Tips
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The tortellini keeps absorbing sauce as it sits, so it firms up overnight.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of chicken broth, milk, or cream stirred in. That loosens the sauce back up. Reheating on high heat with no added liquid will make the cheese separate.
Make ahead: This one is best made fresh, but you can slice the sausage and dice the onion up to 2 days ahead to cut the prep down to almost nothing.
Freezing: I don’t recommend it. Cream cheese sauces separate when they thaw, and cooked tortellini turns soft and loses its bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen tortellini instead of refrigerated?
Yes, and you don’t need to thaw it. Add it straight to the pan and expect to simmer an extra 3 to 5 minutes. Keep the lid on and check for tenderness before you add the cheese. Frozen tortellini also releases a little more water, so the sauce may look thinner at first. Give it the full rest at the end and it’ll come together.
Can I use jarred marinara or spaghetti sauce instead of crushed tomatoes?
You can, and readers have had good results with it. Marinara is already seasoned and a bit sweeter, so hold off on adding salt until you taste at the end. Jarred sauce is also thicker than crushed tomatoes, so add an extra splash of broth to give the tortellini enough liquid to cook in.
It came out more tomato-forward than I expected. How do I mellow it out?
The easiest fix is more dairy. Stir in an extra tablespoon or two of cream cheese, a splash of heavy cream, or a handful of grated parmesan right at the end. All three round out the acidity without changing the recipe. A pinch of sugar works too if the tomatoes you used are especially sharp.
Can I add vegetables to this?
Absolutely. Fresh spinach is the easiest addition. Stir a couple of big handfuls in with the cheese at the end and it wilts in under a minute. Sliced mushrooms or diced bell peppers should go in earlier, with the onion in Step 1, so they have time to soften.
More One Pan Pasta Dinners
- One Pan Ham & Cheese Tortellini
- Creamy Lemon Artichoke Tortellini Skillet
- One Pan Caprese Pasta
- One Pot Chicken Alfredo
- One Pot Beef Stroganoff
One Pan Creamy Sausage Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 20 ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 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 the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tortellini, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. The pan will look very liquidy at this point, which is correct.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the tortellini is tender. Stir at least once partway through to keep the pasta from sticking. The tortellini is done when it has plumped and gives easily when pressed against the side of the pan.
- Remove from heat. If there is more liquid than you want, spoon some out, leaving enough behind to make a sauce. Stir in the cream cheese, cheddar, and jack, reserving a handful of shredded cheese for the top.
- Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top. Cover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened. For a browned top, broil 2 to 3 minutes instead, watching closely.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Don’t skip the cream cheese. It’s what makes the sauce creamy rather than sharply tomato-forward.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheddar and jack have anti-caking starch that keeps them from melting smoothly.
- The sauce thickens as it rests. It will look thin when the pasta is done. Give it the full 5 to 10 minutes covered.
- Whole tomatoes option: Use a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes cut up right in the can with kitchen scissors in place of the crushed. Crushed skips the step and works just as well with a good brand.
- Jarred sauce swap: Marinara or spaghetti sauce works in place of the crushed tomatoes. Hold off on salt until you taste, and add an extra splash of broth since jarred sauce is thicker.
- To mellow the tomato flavor: Stir in extra cream cheese, a splash of heavy cream, or grated parmesan at the end.
- Sausage swaps: Kielbasa and andouille both work. Andouille adds real heat.
- Make it spicy: Swap the crushed tomatoes for two cans of Rotel and use pepper jack in place of the jack cheese.
- Add vegetables: Stir fresh spinach in with the cheese at the end. Add mushrooms or bell peppers with the onion.
- Frozen tortellini: No need to thaw. Add 3 to 5 minutes to the simmer time.
- Faster method: Simmer uncovered at medium-low, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes instead of covering.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese sauce separates.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
This was delicious. Very easy to make and my husband loved it .
That’s so awesome Theresa! Thanks for stopping by.
I made this with 2 cans rotel, pepper jack cheese and jalapeño sausage. My family loved it!
Scheduled to make tonight and just realized I forgot 1 can of rotel and cream cheese….will figure out something to substitute! Lol
I served with Red Lobster cheddar biscuits and salad!
Yum! Sounds delicious, thanks for stopping by to share.
Looks good
It is Jennie! Give it a try and let us know. thanks for stopping by.
While I possibly missed the richness, because I need to go shopping, I had to sub heavy cream and some Parmesan for the cream cheese — still was a delight and even my one year old enjoyed this.
Awesome Adrienne! Thanks for stopping by to share.
I’m giving this 5 stars because it’s very tasty and tastes a bit like pizza!
That being said, it’s VERY tomato-y (of course!) and I think I might add some parmesan cheese and some heavy cream just to tone down that intense tomato taste. And/or use spaghetti sauce instead of just crushed tomatoes.
Fantastic feedback Fayelle! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
My family totally enjoyed this tortellini recipe. Planning to make it again. Delicious!
Thank you Rosetta! Love the feedback, thanks for stopping by.
I’m in love with this!!! So good and substituted tomatoes and onions for homemade leftover marinara… amazing!!!!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Amanda.
Made to recipe and we loved it. Personally I think imma try a diffrent sausage next time. For us the smoked sausage wasn’t the perfect complement. But it was still amazing and definitely added to the rotation.