Creamy, garlicky, packed with savory sausage and bright pops of sun dried tomatoes, this Skillet Tuscan Tortellini is one of those dinners that feels far more special than the effort it takes to make it. Tender cheese filled tortellini simmer right in a rich cream sauce with herbs, parmesan and fresh spinach, creating a cozy skillet meal that tastes like something you would order at a little Italian restaurant.
I love meals like this. On busy evenings when I don’t feel like juggling multiple pots and pans, a big skillet dinner like this saves the day.
The tortellini cooks directly in the sauce, which means it soaks up all that garlicky, savory flavor. By the time the spinach wilts in at the end, the whole dish comes together into something rich, comforting and absolutely irresistible.
What Is “Tuscan”?
Today’s pasta dish has creamy garlic sauce combined with ingredients like sun dried tomatoes, spinach, herbs and parmesan. While this combination is not traditional in Tuscany, it has become very popular in American restaurants and on the internet under the name “Tuscan.”
Some say it was popularized by Olive Garden, others note the colors of the Italian flag as inspiration for the name. Whatever the origin, “Tuscan” is so delicious that it’s here to stay.
I have some of the great Tuscan themed dishes on GypsyPlate like Crockpot Tuscan Chicken and Marry Me Chicken. In fact, they’re some of our most popular recipes!
Why You Will Love This Dish
- One skillet dinner: Everything cooks in a single pan, which makes cleanup easy and keeps the cooking simple.
- Big comforting flavors: Cream, sausage, parmesan and sun dried tomatoes create a rich, satisfying sauce.
- Perfect weeknight meal: This entire dish comes together in about 30 minutes.
- Restaurant style pasta at home: It tastes like something you would get at a cozy Italian trattoria.
Ingredients Needed
I have included exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post. Here are the things you will need:
- Butter – I like starting the dish with butter because it gives the sauce a richer base, but you can substitute olive oil.
- Shallot – Shallots add a slightly sweet, delicate onion flavor that works beautifully in creamy sauces. You can use regular onion, but shallot is more gentle.
- Garlic – Garlic is essential here. Freshly minced.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – These add that signature “Tuscan” flavor. If you use oil packed, shake off the excess oil.
- Red Chili Flakes – Just a pinch because I like a little heat. You can omit it if you prefer.
- Italian Seasoning – This herb blend gives the sauce classic Italian flavor. If you don’t have it, use a combination of basil, thyme and some more oregano.
- Oregano – I like adding a little extra oregano to deepen the herb notes in the sauce.
- Italian Sausage – Sausage adds tons of savory flavor. Use spicy or mild depending on your preference. Simply remove the casings and crumble it as it cooks.
- Heavy Cream – This creates the creamy base of the sauce. For a lighter dish, you can substitute with half-and-half.
- Chicken Stock – Chicken stock helps thin the sauce slightly and allows the tortellini to cook properly.
- Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan melts into the sauce and adds that nutty, salty richness. I like to use freshly shredded so it melts better.
- Frozen Tortellini – Frozen cheese tortellini works great here and cooks right in the sauce. You can also use refrigerated (which cooks faster) or dried (which takes longer to cook).
- Spinach – Fresh spinach wilts quickly and goes in right at the end.
How To Make Skillet Tuscan Tortellini
1. Sauté aromatics: In a large skillet, I melt the butter over medium heat and once it begins to foam a little, I add the sliced shallot. I let the shallot cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
Next goes the garlic. I stir it in and cook it just for about thirty seconds until it becomes fragrant. You don’t want the garlic to brown, just soften and release its aroma.
2. Build flavors: At this point I add the sun dried tomatoes along with the red chili flakes, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper. I let those cook for about a minute so the herbs and spices bloom in the butter and really start flavoring the base of the dish.
3. Brown sausage: Now the Italian sausage goes into the skillet. I remove the casings beforehand and crumble the sausage directly into the pan. Using a wooden spoon, I break it up as it cooks so it forms small pieces throughout the sauce. This takes about five to six minutes. By the time it’s done, the sausage should be nicely browned.
4. Create the sauce: Once the sausage is cooked, I pour in the heavy cream and the chicken stock. I give everything a good stir and let the mixture come to a gentle simmer, then stir in the parmesan.
5. Cook tortellini: Now I add the frozen tortellini straight into the skillet and gently stir so every piece gets coated in the creamy sauce. Because the tortellini is cooking in the sauce rather than boiling water, it needs a little more time. I cover the skillet with a lid and let it simmer gently for about fifteen minutes. I give it a stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom and the pasta cooks evenly.
6. Wilt spinach: Once the tortellini is tender, I add the spinach. It looks like a lot at first, but it wilts quickly. I stir it into the hot sauce and within a minute or two it softens and blends perfectly into the dish. At this point I give the sauce a quick taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Alpana’s Tips
- Use a wide skillet: Tortellini expands as it cooks, so using a large skillet gives the pasta enough space to cook evenly.
- Watch the sauce consistency: As the tortellini cooks, the sauce will thicken. If it becomes too thick, simply add a splash of chicken stock or cream.
- Fresh parmesan melts better: Freshly grated parmesan gives the sauce a smoother texture and deeper flavor than pre-shredded cheese.
- Customize the heat: If you like a little spice, use hot Italian sausage or add a little extra chili flakes.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy skillet pasta is hearty enough to serve on its own, but I love pairing it with some crusty bread to soak up that delicious sauce. My No Knead Bread works perfectly here.
For something lighter on the side, a simple Caesar Salad or Greek Salad balances the richness of the pasta nicely.
Leftovers and Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
When reheating, add a splash of cream or chicken stock to loosen the sauce as it warms. The pasta will absorb some of the sauce as it sits, so a little extra liquid helps bring it back to life.
Some nights you just need a dinner that comes together easily but still feels a little special, and this skillet pasta does exactly that. It’s rich, comforting and full of flavor, yet simple enough to pull together without much planning.
If you’re looking for a cozy pasta dinner that doesn’t take much effort but delivers big flavor, this Skillet Tuscan Tortellini is one you’ll want to keep in your regular rotation.
More Tortellini Recipes:
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Tortellini al Forno
Sausage & Tortellini Bake
Pesto Tortellini Soup
Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Skillet Tuscan Tortellini
My Creamy Tuscan Tortellini is a rich one-skillet pasta with sausage, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan. A quick, cozy dinner ready in about half an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 pound frozen tortellini
- 6 cups of spinach or baby spinach
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sliced shallot and cook for about 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, red chili flakes, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute.
- Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned and fully cooked.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken stock. Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted into the sauce. Add the frozen tortellini and stir well so they are coated in the sauce.
- Cover the skillet and let the tortellini simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and cooked through. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of chicken stock.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, then serve with extra parmesan on top.
Notes
- Cooking tortellini: Since the tortellini cooks directly in the sauce instead of boiling water, it takes a little longer. Let it gently simmer in the sauce until tender. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Tortellini choice: Frozen tortellini works great here and holds its shape well while simmering in the sauce. Refrigerated tortellini can also be used and will cook a bit faster.
- Adjusting sauce consistency: If the sauce thickens too much while the tortellini cooks, just add a splash of chicken stock or cream to loosen it.
- Sausage: I like using Italian sausage for its built-in seasoning. Both mild and hot work well depending on how spicy you want the dish.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former worldwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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