Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini with Sausage

This roasted red pepper tortellini is easy enough to make, but fancy enough that it tastes like restaurant quality. Italian sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese tortellini with the most incredible roasted red pepper cream sauce. Trust me, don’t sleep on making this dish!

I’ve been making a rendition of this recipe for years now, without ever writing it down, but changing things up a little bit every time I make it. The one constant has been using jarred roasted red peppers (for ease) and blending them up to create this unforgettable sauce.

I’ve finally perfected this recipe, and its just too good not to share. Jake and I usually eat most of it in one night, with a small Tupperware of leftovers, not enough to call “lunch”, but more like a snack. Or, a “tease”, as Jake put it last time I packed the leftovers in his lunch.

Roasted red pepper cream sauce

It really is allllll about the sauce. Roasted red peppers add a nice dimension of smokey sweet flavor, compared to regular tomato cream sauce. You don’t have to specifically make roasted red pepper tortellini, this sauce is versatile and can be used in so many ways!

I’ve tossed it with plain pasta on it its own, with a fresh grated parmesan on top. I’ve used it as a base for tomato soup to add little bit of excitement, or even as a dip for some really good bread. I can think of so many reasons to make it, but I’ll stop there.

Roasted red peppers

One 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers is usually two whole red peppers, which is all you need for this recipe. I keep a jar in the pantry to make this sauce on a whim, but you can also roast your own red peppers by following the steps below.

How to roast your own red peppers (oven method)

1. Cut red peppers in half and remove all seeds and stems.
2. Place on a baking sheet, cut-side facing down, and roast at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.
3. Right out the the oven, place the hot red peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cooled.
4. Remove from bowl and peel off the charred skin. Discard the skin.

Ingredients needed

• Italian sausage – I like to use sweet Italian sausage and add in red pepper flakes to the sauce. See below for how I make my own Italian sausage seasoning and use ground pork.
• Tortellini – use the refrigerated kind by the fresh pasta. I buy the four cheese blend filling.
• Butter – salted or unsalted works. I always use salted in my recipes (except in frosting!)
• Shallot – shallots are slightly more mild and sweet than a regular onion.
• Garlic – fresh garlic, always!
• Tomato paste – adds a little depth to the sauce.
• Roasted red pepper – I use the jarred kind, but you can roast your own by following the instructions above.
• Mushrooms– baby Bella mushrooms are my favorite in this dish.
• Baby spinach – I recommend fresh baby spinach, but you can use frozen in a pinch!
• Heavy cream – puts the “creamy” in the cream sauce.
• Parmesan – fresh grated parmesan here. Pre-grated cheese won’t melt as well into the sauce.
• Basil – fresh basil for stirring in right at the end to add some fresh, sweet flavor.

Italian sausage

I buy a pig each year, so I prefer to take a pound of ground pork and add my own quick seasonings. If you will be buying pre-made Italian sausage, skip this part!

Make your own sausage seasoning

Combine one pound of ground pork with the seasonings below:

• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½  tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dehydrated minced onions

How to make roasted red pepper tortellini

After cooking the tortellini according to the package instructions, it’s time to make the red pepper sauce!

Start by sautéing the shallot and garlic together until fragrant, then add in the tomato paste. Place the mixture in the bottom of a blender, I use the NutriBullet for this. Place the roasted red peppers on top and blend until smooth.

In the same pan, cook the mushrooms until they sweat, then add the sausage. Cook the sausage until its cooked through, then pour in the blended red pepper mixture. Next, we stir in some heavy cream.

Add some spinach, fresh parmesan, and finally, the cooked tortellini and fresh basil.

Lastly, serve with all the grated parmesan your heart desires, and perhaps a little side salad for good measure.

Recipe substitutions

Shallot

Use 1/2 an onion in place of the shallot.

heavy cream

You can substitute the heavy cream with half & half, or unsweetened full fat coconut milk for dairy-free.

spinach

Use 1 cup of frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach.

sausage

To use chicken, cook sliced chicken breast in step four in place of the sausage.

pasta

Use any pasta you like in place of the tortellini! I recommend shells, fusilli, rigatoni, or penne.