One skillet meals like this Cheese Tortellini with Italian Chicken Sausage make easy dinners a breeze -- with very little clean up at the end! The pasta, sausage, and vegetables all cook together in less than 30 minutes. Finish the cheese tortellini recipe with mozzarella and Parmesan, then pair it with garlic bread and a crisp green salad!
Three Cheese Tortellini Recipe
Whether you have kids or not, dinner just seems like a tough meal for most of us to pull together. We're tired at the end of the day, rushed if we get home late, and just generally hungry and cranky! But what if I told you that this one skillet cheese tortellini recipe will come to the rescue -- even when the dinnertime cards are stacked against you?! I've tested it myself (numerous times) under the most stressful circumstances, and I can honestly say that it's a winner.
One skillet. Less than 30 minutes. Plenty of veggies. Loads of cheese (in the tortellini, on top, and for a garnish)...and -- best of all -- your picky little eaters will actually enjoy it!
What is cheese tortellini?
Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta originally from the Italian region of Emilia. They are typically stuffed with meat, cheese or spinach, and are sold either frozen, fresh, or dried. In this recipe, I've shown fresh 3 cheese tortellini, which includes creamy ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and Romano cheese.
The Difference Between Tortellini and Ravioli
While both pastas are stuffed with meats, cheeses, or vegetables, they are not quite the same. Ravioli is two layers of pasta that form a pillow-like shape, whereas tortellini is folded into hat-like, ring shapes that are similar to dumplings.
Can you eat tortellini without sauce?
Like any other pasta, tortellini is best when served with a sauce for moisture and flavor. Even if it's just a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter, you'll want something to finish off the dish and prevent the pasta from becoming dry and sticky. Here we're using either homemade marinara sauce or store-bought marinara sauce, which is a simple a blend of olive oil, tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and spices.
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for the cheese tortellini recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Extra virgin olive oil: to sauté the sausage and vegetables. Adds flavor to the dish as well!
- Italian chicken sausage: use either fully-cooked chicken sausage or uncooked fresh chicken sausage with the casings removed. I've included instructions for both below.
- Garlic: lots of fresh minced garlic gives the dish tons of savory flavor.
- Red bell pepper and onion: fresh vegetables that pair nicely with the Italian flavors and tomatoes in the sauce.
- Frozen baby broccoli florets: thaw the small florets and they'll be soft in the skillet in no time! They're perfect for quick dinners in bite-sized portions.
- Fresh cheese tortellini: find this cheese-filled pasta in the refrigerated section at your grocery store. It's near the deli in my local shop. I like this three cheese tortellini variety.
- Marinara sauce: use homemade sauce or a jar of your favorite store-bought brand. We love Rao's marinara sauce for homemade taste with zero effort!
- Chicken broth: extra liquid for cooking the pasta in the skillet.
- Mozzarella: add the grated cheese on top of the pasta at the very end.
How to Cook Cheese Tortellini
This easy one-skillet dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes! The tortellini cooks in the skillet with the sauce, sausage, and vegetables, so it absorbs some of the liquid in the pan and releases starches as it softens. This thickens the sauce and brings all of the flavors together!
- Brown the sausage and garlic in olive oil.
- Add the pepper, onion, broccoli, tortellini, marinara sauce, and broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan and simmer for about 7-9 minutes, until the tortellini is tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.
- Cover with a lid until the cheese melts, about 1 more minute.
What to Serve with Cheese Tortellini
This is basically a one-pot meal, thanks to the pasta, sausage, and vegetables in the same skillet. If you'd like to complete the dinner with a couple of easy sides, here are some good options that pair nicely with the cheese tortellini:
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Caesar Salad
- House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Crusty Baguette or a loaf of No-Knead Bread
- Homemade Focaccia
- Garlic Bread or Garlic Breadsticks
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Roasted Asparagus or Sauteed Asparagus with Garlic and Lemon
- Roasted Yellow Squash
- Sauteed Zucchini
- Tomato Salad with Basil and Balsamic
Storage
This dish is best served immediately while the sauce is warm and the tortellini is fresh.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the pasta and sauce gently over low heat on the stovetop just until warmed through, or put individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and warm for about 1-2 minutes.
You might need to add some extra marinara sauce or a couple pats of butter to loosen up the sauce as it reheats, since the pasta will absorb a lot of the sauce while it sits. Overcooked pasta will become gummy and the vegetables can get mushy, so don't reheat for too long.
I do not recommend freezing the cheese tortellini, as the pasta and broccoli will have a gummy, mushy texture when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- Omit any vegetables that you don't care for. For instance, leave out the broccoli or the bell peppers.
- Add spinach or frozen peas at the end of the cooking time in lieu of the broccoli. Spinach and peas only need a couple of minutes to soften in the dish.
- Add sautéed mushrooms or a can of diced tomatoes to the dish.
- Instead of cheese tortellini, try other flavors such as chicken, sausage, or spinach tortellini.
- Substitute frozen or dried tortellini for the fresh tortellini. If using dried tortellini, you will likely need to add some extra broth to the skillet, and you will need to extend the cooking time.
- If you prefer to use fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen, microwave or parboil the broccoli before adding it to the pan so that it's not too firm in the finished dish.
Tips for the Best Cheese Tortellini Recipe
- Finely dice the bell pepper and onion so that they become soft and tender. Larger chunks of the vegetables will require a longer cooking time.
- The bell pepper and onion become crisp-tender by the end of the cooking process. If you prefer even softer vegetables, sauté the bell pepper and onion with the sausage at the beginning. This will give them some extra time to soften up in the pan.
- If using fresh chicken sausage, remove the casings and break apart the sausage as it cooks in the pan. If using fully-cooked chicken sausage, slice into rounds and just brown it in the skillet. Fresh sausage will need a few extra minutes to cook through.
- Garnish each serving with grated Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs like basil and parsley for extra flavor.
More Cheese Tortellini Recipes to Try
- Meatball Soup with Cheese Tortellini
- Pesto Tortellini with Pancetta and Broccoli
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Baked Tortellini Alfredo with Chicken
- Chicken and Tortellini Salad
One Skillet Cheese Tortellini with Italian Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 12-13 ounces Italian chicken sausage (If using fully-cooked sausage, slice each link into rounds. For fresh sausage, remove the casings and brown the ground sausage.)
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, very finely diced
- 1 small onion, very finely diced
- 1 (12 ounce) package frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed
- 9 ounces fresh cheese tortellini (I use refrigerated Buitoni Three Cheese Tortellini)
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce (about 2 ½ cups total)
- ¾ cup chicken broth (or water)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sausage and garlic (if you prefer softer vegetables, you can add the bell pepper and onion at this point, too). Cook and stir until the fully-cooked sausage is browned (about 5 minutes), or until the fresh sausage is cooked through (about 7-9 minutes).
- Add the bell pepper, onion, broccoli, tortellini, marinara sauce, and broth (or water). Bring to a boil.
- Once the mixture boils, turn the heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for about 7-9 minutes (or until the tortellini is tender). Remove from the heat.
- Remove lid, sprinkle mozzarella over the tortellini, and place the lid back on top until the cheese melts (about 1 minute). Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs.
Notes
- Finely dice the bell pepper and onion so that they become soft and tender. Larger chunks of vegetables will require a longer cooking time.
- The bell pepper and onion become crisp-tender by the end of the cooking process. If you prefer even softer vegetables, sauté the bell pepper and onion with the sausage at the beginning. This will give them some extra time to soften up in the pan.
- If using fresh chicken sausage, remove the casings and break apart the sausage as it cooks in the pan. If using fully-cooked chicken sausage, slice into rounds and just brown it in the skillet. Fresh sausage will need a few extra minutes to cook through in the pan.
- Omit any vegetables that you don't care for. For instance, leave out the broccoli or the bell peppers.
- Add spinach or frozen peas at the end of the cooking time in lieu of the broccoli. Spinach and peas only need a couple of minutes to soften in the dish.
- Add sautéed mushrooms or a can of diced tomatoes to the dish.
- Instead of cheese tortellini, try other flavors such as chicken, sausage, or spinach tortellini.
- Substitute frozen or dried tortellini for the fresh tortellini. If using dried tortellini, you will likely need to add some extra broth to the skillet, and you will need to extend the cooking time.
- If you prefer to use fresh broccoli florets instead of frozen, microwave or parboil the broccoli before adding it to the pan so that it's not too firm in the finished dish.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in March, 2017. The photos were updated in December, 2021.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I love using tortellini in skillet meals! I just made a dish using Italian sausage the other week, so I've got to try this chicken sausage version. Love the pretty colors too, Blair! Looks delish!
Blair
Thanks, Gayle! We definitely have the same tastebuds! 🙂
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
No more potty training horror stories!! LOL. We keep trying to get ours to take interest, but NOT INTERESTED. I cannot wait to stop buying diapers for both kids. UGH. Busy moms love one pot meals. Once again you nailed it and the photos are stunning!
Blair
Ugh...boys are tough when it comes to the potty training, Chrissa. My best tip is to just wait until they're ready. Forcing it is such a wasted, stressful effort! My boys were each 3 years old before they seemed ready to handle it, so don't worry about your little guy. It will happen! 🙂
Kate @ Framed Cooks
I absolutely LOVE one skillet dinners, even though my potty training days are 20 years behind me! I promise it will happen one day...and in the meantime, yay you for this scrumptious recipe!
Blair
Hah! Thank you so much, Kate! I'm sure that I will still love one skillet meals in 20 years as well! 🙂 Have a great week!
Agness of Run Agness Run
Yummy! This makes a delicious lunch idea, Blair!
Blair
Thanks, Agness! I agree -- it's great for lunch or dinner!
Sue Maxedon
Just found your site and have to say thank you so much for including nutritional info! Having recently been diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetic, that's quickly becoming the first thing I look for whenever I find a delicious looking recipe. And I've bookmarked several of your recipes to try in the very near future because I know they fit within my dietary limits. Looking foward to checking out more recipes!
Blair
Hi, Sue! I'm so glad that you find the nutrition information helpful and that you will try some new recipes from the blog. Enjoy, and thanks again for reading along with us!
Danielle
What a wonderful recipe! And so easy. One pot meals are so convenient. And I love the blue skillet.
Blair
Thanks so much, Danielle! I agree -- one pot meals are the way to go!
Marian
I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it's one of the best I've ever tried. It's very easy to make and so flavorful. My husband really liked it and suggested that I make it the next time we have company. By the way, this is the first time I've ever left a comment about a recipe. It was that good!
Blair
Hi, Marian! Thank you SO much for your kind words! I really appreciate your feedback and I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe! Have a great week. 🙂
Amy
Do you think this recipe would work as a crockpot meal. As a working mother of 2 young children I have found the crockpot to be a helpful friend
Blair
Hi, Amy! I totally understand what you mean when you say that the slow cooker is helpful as a busy mom! I use my Crock Pot at least once a week for that same reason!
I have never tried this particular recipe in the slow cooker, so I'm not sure how it would turn out. If you need more easy slow cooker recipes, though, my blog has TONS of them. You can search for "slow cooker" in the search bar in my righthand sidebar and see plenty of options. Here's a link directly to the slow cooker list, too: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=slow+cooker
Kathy
Hi everyone,
I'm new to the kitchen and wanted to try this recipe as it look easy and practical. However I think I did somehing wrong, my tortellini took almost double to cook and the end result had a really strong sausage taste all around. Could someone please help me figure put what I did wrong? This looks like such a great meal I really want to make it work 🙁
Blair
Hi, Kathy! The strong sausage taste is going to come from the sausage that you cook in the skillet. The oil that the sausage releases in the pan, as well as the sausage itself, is going to flavor the rest of the ingredients in the dish since everything cooks together. I don't think you did anything "wrong" in that regard. Maybe you just don't care for the taste of the particular sausage that you used? You might try a different brand or flavor next time?
As far as the tortellini goes, it's possible that you used a different brand or size than I used, which might have a slightly different cooking time. I can't know that since I wasn't in the kitchen with you. Or did you use DRY tortellini instead of the refrigerated tortellini that I specify in the recipe? Dry tortellini will definitely take a lot longer to cook than the fresh refrigerated tortellini. Hope that helps! 🙂
Casandra Ann
I made this recipe tonight for my 2 year old daughter and I. It was definitely a hit ! I will for sure be making this in the future.
Blair
Yay! I love when a toddler approves of a meal, too. That's the best!!! 🙂
Victoria
Awesome recipe! Thank you.....only change I made was to add a dash o crushed red pepper flakes. Thank you
victoria
Site wouldn't let me give it 5 stars 🙁
Blair
Thanks, Victoria!!!
Kenny Graves
Great recipe! I prepared it as written, except after letting all the ingredients simmer a bit, I spread it all out in a 9 by 13 casserole, sprinkled two cups of the cheese on top and let it heat up in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so. Came out wonderfully! Thanks again, Kenny
Blair
Sounds like a great option, Kenny! Thanks for taking the time to leave a note!