Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage
This Creamy Tomato Tortellini and Sausage dish is a comforting weeknight dinner made with just a handful of ingredients. Made in just about 20 minutes with a creamy mascarpone tomato sauce, fresh (or frozen) tortellini and savory Italian sausage.
- Total Time23 minutes
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- Coarse kosher salt for pasta water, plus 2 teaspoons for sauce (see note)
- 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 (6-ounce can) tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons pizza seasoning (or substitute Italian seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Chopped fresh basil, for serving
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add a big pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the tortellini and set a timer to cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Set aside 2 cups of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 0 minutes. Drain any excess rendered fat from the saute pan.
- Add the tomato paste, pizza seasoning, garlic powder, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and cook until the tomato paste has deepened in color, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn the heat low and add in the mascarpone. Stir until it is fully combined.
- Combine the cooked tortellini with the tomato mascarpone sauce. Add some of the reserved pasta water, ½ cup at a time, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and pasta water as necessary. Serve immediately with fresh grated Parmesan and basil.
Notes
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease volume by half.
- Prep Time: 00:05
- Cook Time: 00:18
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian-American