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roasted red pepper tortellini in a skillet on a white wooden table with mushrooms and spinach laying out on the table.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini with Sausage

5 from 1 vote
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!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Italian sausage *see notes to make your own
  • 10 oz cheese tortellini
  • 12 oz jar roasted red peppers drained and chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot diced
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 8 oz baby Bella mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated

Method
 

  1. Boil a pot of heavily salted water for the tortellini and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and Melt butter and sauté shallots and chopped garlic for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add Tomato paste and red pepper flakes and stir for 1 more minute.
  3. To a blender, or food processor, add the roasted red peppers, and the onion mixture from the saute pan. Blend until smooth.
  4. Add the mushrooms to the saute pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until they sweat. Add the sausage and cook for 5-6 minutes,, while breaking apart, until it's browned.
  5. Return roasted red pepper mixture to the pan with the sausage. Stir in the heavy cream.. Heat on medium low heat until heated through and almost simmering.
  6. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Stir in the parmesan until melted. Stir in the tortellini and chopped basil.

Notes

 
  • Use 1/2 an onion in place of the shallot.
  • You can substitute the heavy cream with half & half, or unsweetened full fat coconut milk for dairy-free.
  • Use 1 cup of frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach.
  • To use chicken, cook sliced chicken breast in step four in place of the sausage.
  • Use any pasta you like in place of the tortellini! I recommend shells, fusilli, rigatoni, or penne.