This Italian sausage and tortellini skillet is the coziest, easiest one-pan that you’ll find yourself making on repeat.

Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
There’s nothing I love more than a quick and easy one-pan recipe, and tortellini are the perfect candidate for a speedy yet super satisfying weeknight dinner.
This Italian sausage and tortellini skillet actually combines a couple of my personal favorites: flavorful Italian sausage, tender tortellini and a tomato-based sauce made smooth with just a bit of cream. Yummy doesn’t even begin to cover it!
And since this is a one-pan-easy dinner, the list of ingredients is short, sweet, and forgiving.
You can easily skip deglazing the pan with wine if you want, or you can use leftover mascarpone or cream cheese instead of heavy cream. Whatever gets dinner on your family’s table quicker!
Why you’ll love this Italian sausage and tortellini recipe
- It’s a true one-pan recipe — you don’t have to cook your tortellini separately!
- The flavors are rich, and the Italian sausage makes it a super satisfying meal.
- It goes from ingredients in the fridge to the table in 30 minutes!
What goes into sausage and tortellini skillet
Italian sausage — I love fresh mild Italian sausage with a lot of garlic in it, and that’s what I use in this recipe. You can use your favorite, including hot Italian sausage, if you like a bit of a kick.
Onion and garlic — Dice them finely so they cook double-quick. You can also use shallots instead of onions.
Dry white wine — This is optional, but I recommend it for extra flavor (plus, what’s more satisfying than deglazing a pan with wine?). Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay are my typical go-to wines for this.
If you prefer to cook without alcohol, simply substitute the wine with the same quantity of chicken stock.
Herbs — I used a mix of dried oregano and basil plus just a bit of red chili flakes for a bit of heat.
An Italian seasoning mix would also work wonders here.
Tomato sauce — Opt for tomato sauce (passata) if you want the sauce smooth, or go for diced tomatoes if you don’t mind a chunkier texture.
Alternatively, use your favorite spaghetti sauce or shop-bought marinara sauce instead to make dinner even quicker.
Heavy cream — This is optional, but I’m partial to creamy tomato sauces, so I like to add it in. You can also use half and half.
Tortellini — Refrigerated tortellini are perfect for this recipe as they only need 2-3 minutes to cook. Cheese tortellini are ideal but you can also use spinach and ricotta ones or even tortellini with prosciutto.
Fresh baby spinach — I like to add a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach for extra color and nutrition.
Parmesan cheese— What is a pasta dish without freshly grated Parmesan on top? Add it generously because no one ever said, “There’s too much Parmesan in this”!
Pro tip
Make sure you don’t overcook the tortellini, as they will turn mushy.
How to make Italian sausage with tortellini
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and crumble in the Italian sausage. Cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until softened and fragrant.
Pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble for a minute. Now’s the time to scrape up all those delicious browned bits.
Stir in the dried oregano, basil, and red chili flakes.
Next, add the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the cream, then add the tortellini and allow everything to simmer together for 2 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes to allow it to wilt.
Stir in the grated Parmesan, then season to taste and serve immediately.
Recipe notes and tips
- Don’t worry if the sauce looks too runny at the end of cooking. Give it a couple of minutes, and the tortellini will absorb it.
- Add extra chicken stock if the tortellini absorbed too much of the liquid.
- This Italian sausage tortellini is a full meal, but you can also have it with garlic bread or a salad.
Leftovers and storage
- This sausage and tortellini dish is best eaten right away. If you have any leftovers, they will stay fresh for 2-3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Reheat your sausage and tortellini in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or milk to loosen up the sauce.
- I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
If you liked this Italian sausage tortellini skillet, you might also like some of my other easy recipes with tortellini:
Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Italian Sausage and Tortellini Skillet
This Italian sausage and tortellini skillet is the coziest, easiest one-pan that you’ll find yourself making on repeat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 2 x 8 oz. (225 g) cans tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup (100 ml) heavy cream (double cream)
- 2 x 9 oz. (250 g) packs refrigerated tortellini
- 2 cups (60 g) fresh baby spinach
- ⅓ cup (30 g) Parmesan, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and crumble in the Italian sausage. Cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and allow it to bubble for a minute. Now’s the time to scrape up all those delicious browned bits.
- Stir in the dried oregano, basil, and red chili flakes.
- Next, add the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the cream, then add the tortellini and allow everything to simmer together for 2 minutes.
- Add the baby spinach and cover the pan with a lid for 2 minutes to allow it to wilt.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan, then season to taste and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1513mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 21g
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
SH says
This recipe was awesome and so quick. I added a can of fire roasted tomatoes. It was devoured! Thanks!