Italian sausage tortellini is a flavorful dinner made with Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, sauteed veggies, and homemade Italian dressing. It's ready in 30 minutes and surprisingly easy to assemble!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Mild, savory sausage, tender sauteed peppers and onions, and cheesy tortellini are tossed in a simple homemade Italian dressing.
It's quick and easy: Most of the prep time is slicing veggies. The rest of the work is done on the stovetop and your meal can be ready in 30 minutes!
Serves: 4 people
Similar to: Sausage Tortellini Soup and Sheet Pan Italian Sausage & Potatoes
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Tortellini - Any refrigerated, frozen, or fresh tortellini (or even small ravioli) works in this recipe.
- Vegetables - Two small bell peppers (I like to use one green and one red) and an onion add flavor and bulk to the recipe.
- Sausage - I used mild, sweet Italian sausage in this recipe, but spicy sausage also works if you'd like to add a bit of heat.
- Dressing ingredients - Oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and seasoning create a simple homemade Italian dressing. If you'd like to make this recipe even easier, use a scant ¼ cup of your favorite bottled Italian dressing instead.
How to make Italian sausage tortellini
- Mix the dressing in a bowl and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook tortellini according to package directions.
- While tortellini cook, brown sausage in a sauté pan. Remove from pan to a paper towel-lined plate and drain excess grease from the pan.
- Brown onions and peppers.
- Add sausage and cooked tortellini to the pan and toss to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat before serving warm.
Tips and tricks
Drain grease from the pan - Sausage, depending on the brand and type, can release a lot of grease when cooked. Transfer your cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate (to wick excess grease away) and drain grease from the pan before continuing on. This helps prevent the finished dish from feeling too greasy and heavy.
Slice or crumble sausage - Sausage can be sliced in the casings or removed from the casings and crumbled into the pan when cooking.
Optional garnishes - Top your skillet with fresh grated parmesan cheese or chopped parsley just before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Cooked veggies and cooked pasta don't freeze and thaw well, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
Yes, the dressing ingredients can be substituted with a scant ¼ cup of your favorite Italian or vinaigrette dressing.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Italian Sausage Tortellini
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sausage tortellini
- 9 ounces cheese tortellini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 ounces Italian sausage links, sliced
- 1 small onion, thin sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thin sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thin sliced
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Sausage tortellini
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook tortellini to al dente according to package directions. Drain. While tortellini cooks, prepare veggies and sausage.
- In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and drain excess grease from the pan.
- Add onion and bell pepper to pan. Cook until brown and softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Return sausage to the pan along with cooked tortellini. Add dressing and toss until coated. Serve warm.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Use store-bought dressing: Substitute the dressing ingredients with about ¼ cup of your favorite store-bought Italian dressing.
- Optional garnishes: Top with chopped parsley or grated parmesan cheese just before serving.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!