Italian Sausage, Tortellini and Veggie Skillet
This Italian Sausage, Tortellini and Veggie Skillet is a fast and flavorful dinner made with simple ingredients that you can have on the table in just 30 minutes. It's perfect for busy weeknights!
Servings: 4
Estimated Calories: 613
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (11-ounce) package fully-cooked chicken Italian sausage, sliced ½ inch thick (sweet or hot; I use sweet)
- 1 heaping cup chopped red bell peppers, 1-inch pieces; about 1 large pepper
- 1 heaping cup chopped onions, 1-inch pieces; about 1 medium onion
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 ounces cheese tortellini, refrigerated or frozen (I use refrigerated)
- 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (about a heaping cup)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, or regular spinach (remove any large, tough stems)
- ½ cup Italian dressing, I use my Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, I use my Homemade Italian Seasoning
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat; add the sausage slices and brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the sausage to a plate; set aside.
- Add the reamining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Sauté, stirring fequently, until the peppers and onions are crisp-tender and the mushrooms have softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- While the veggies are sautéing, cook the tortellini to al dente per the package instructions; drain.
- Add the sausage back to the skillet, along with the cooked tortellini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, Italian dressing, and Italian seasoning; stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, just until the spinach is wilted, about another 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
- Serve immediately. Top each serving with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil, if desired.
Al dente means the pasta should be tender but still just slightly firm and chewy. It will cook a bit more once you add it to the skillet, and this will prevent it from becoming overcooked and mushy in the finished dish.
Recipe Notes
- Put the pasta water on to boil before you start prepping the ingredients and cooking, then cook the tortellini while the veggies are sautéing. This is important to getting everything done in 30 minutes.
- If you want to substitute fresh pork Italian sausage links, you must fully cook them first to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F, then slice them and brown the slices. Bulk sausage is another option; again, cook it fully through and lightly brown it first, breaking it up as you go, then proceed. Note that either of these substitutions will add more cooking time to the recipe.
- Estimated calories shown do not include any toppings, such as parmesan cheese.
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see it!Take a photo, post it on Instagram, and mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes. Thanks!