This Baked Tortellini is packed with sausage, cheesy tortellini, and a creamy tomato sauce. Everything cooks in one pan!
Family Favorite
One Skillet + Cheesy Tortellini = Dinner Perfection!
For months I’ve been making this baked ravioli and skillet lasagna on repeat. They some of my go-to weeknight meals, quick to throw together, hearty, and always a win with my family.
One night I set my mind on making baked ravioli and realized I was out of ravioli. I did have a pack of tortellini in the fridge, so I decided to switch things up. I browned some sausage, stirred in a creamy tomato sauce, and baked it all under a blanket of cheese. The tortellini gave it a fun twist, and the whole skillet disappeared that night. It has been in the dinner lineup ever since.
Ingredients In Baked Tortellini
| Ingredient | Swap/Tip |
|---|---|
| Italian sausage | Try ground turkey or chicken sausage |
| Tomato paste | Cook until darker for more flavor |
| Crushed tomatoes | Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra depth |
| Chicken broth | Use low sodium to keep it from being too salty |
| Tortellini | Ravioli works if that’s what you have |
| Spinach | Swap with kale or arugula |
| Heavy cream | Half-and-half works in a pinch |
| Mozzarella + Parmesan | Fontina or provolone melt beautifully too |
Quick Tip
Taking a few minutes to cook the tomato paste will amp up the flavor a lot! Cook it over medium to high heat until it turns a bit darker—taking care not to scorch it. This process adds more umami flavor to the dish. Try it!
How To Make Baked Tortellini
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add veggies, garlic, seasonings, and cook until soft.
- Brown sausage on high heat, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- Add tomatoes and pasta. Cover in the sauce and let it simmer.
- Stir in the spinach, then the cream.
- Top with mozzarella and Parm, then bake. Serve hot with parsley on top.
What To Serve With Baked Tortellini
- Bruschetta: The perfect starter.
- Italian Salad: A fresh, crisp, and light side.
- Garlic Bread: Great for dipping in sauce. Or try my no-knead Focaccia.
- Roasted Vegetables: Add your favorite veggies!
- Caprese Salad: A tasty mix of mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.
Storage
Leftovers?
Baked Tortellini is best hot, right out of the oven!
As it sits, the pasta soaks up the sauce. It gets less saucy and more bloated.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. When reheating, add a splash of broth to make it saucy again.
More One Skillet Dishes:
Baked Tortellini
Video
Equipment
- Oven-safe pan 3.5-quart, with fitted lid
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed crushed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 pound Italian sausage see note 1
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 18 ounces refrigerated Rana’s tortellini see note 2
- 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- finely chopped fresh parsley optional
- Hearty buttered bread optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large oven-safe pan with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed fennel seed, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften; then push to the edge of the pan.
- Increase heat to high. Place sausage in the center of the pan in a single layer. Let it sear briefly, then use a wooden spoon to break it up and stir until browned. Drain off excess grease if needed.
- Add tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Continue cooking until the broth has mostly evaporated.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes. Add tortellini, pressing them below the surface as much as possible. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a fitted lid, just cover the pan with a sheet pan.
- Stir in spinach and heavy cream. Adjust seasoning as needed. Smooth the top to create an even surface, ensuring the tortellini are well submerged. Top evenly with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Optionally, garnish with parsley. Serve hot with hearty buttered bread for dunking. Best enjoyed right out of the oven.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What type of sausage do you recommend = sweet, mild? I don’t cook with sausage to often!
Made it for dinner and it was very good, easy and quick. Thanks Chelsea!
Could you use dry packaged tortellini? Or cook them first and add them when hot or room temperature? Thanks in advance!
If you use the dry tortellini cook it first to al dente and then add them in at room temperature. Enjoy 🙂
This looks delicious!
Thank you Tally! 🙂
Amazing sausage, we usually use coconut oil for cooking. Got any taste difference while doing so,instead of olive oil as per said in ingredients of this recipe?
I don’t think it would make too much of a difference to use coconut oil 🙂
This looks so amazing! Def going to make it tomorrow.
I saw on Instagram this recipe was coming up so I was waiting for you to post it because in our home we also loooove tortellini!! Thanks for sharing this recipe, my friend! It looks awesome. Have a lovely week 😉
Awe thank you so much Olivia! I hope you do as well xox