One Pot Spicy Sausage Tortellini

For how hearty and delicious this recipe is, I think you’ll be shocked at just how easily it comes together. Follow me…

Sausage Tortellini

When I say ‘sausage tortellini’ I’m referring to the sauce that the tortellini is cooked in, not the filling. We’ll be using a cheese filling, which we’ll get to in just a sec!

What kind of sausage should I use?

We don’t have the widest selection of minced/ground sausage meat in the UK, so I typically use the meat from inside a pack of sausages. I typically go for a neutral flavour, but you could experiment with different flavours (bonus points for anything herby/Italian). You can of course use minced/ground sausage meat if that’s what you have. My friends across the pond, I imagine Italian sausage will work great here.

Cooking the sausage

We’ll start with a base of shallots and garlic, just to inject some flavour into the sauce. You’ll want to sweat them down for a couple of minutes, then you can add in the sausage. Try and get a nice crust on the sausage (more caramelisation = more flavour). Process shots: fry shallots (photo 1), fry garlic (photo 2), add sausage (photo 3), fry (photo 4).

One Pot Tortellini

For this recipe we’re going to be cooking the tortellini in the pot with everything else, as opposed to boiling it in a separate pot and then incorporating it. I also realised as I typed that out that it might be obvious given the ‘one pot’ title 😅

Why cook the tortellini in the same pot?

This is a great method for a few different reasons:

Flavour – the tortellini will soak in some of that gorgeous flavour as it cooks. Starch – as it cooks it’ll release starch, which helps thicken the sauce. Pots – less washing up!

The sauce is made from chopped tomatoes, stock and cream, then flavoured with tomato puree, chilli flakes, parmesan and parsley. I also love stirring through some spinach at the end! Process shots: add in tomato puree, chilli flakes, chopped tomatoes, stock and cream (photo 5), stir (photo 6), add tortellini (photo 7), stir and simmer (photo 8), stir in parmesan and parsley (photo 9), stir in spinach (photo 10).

How spicy is this recipe?

I use 1 tsp chilli flakes, which give it a good punch of spice (but it’s certainly not overbearing). You can work to taste though!

Where can I find cheese tortellini?

I usually buy 2 packs of tortellini from Sainsbury’s which is literally called ‘Cheese Tortelloni’. It’s got an awesome flavour and is very affordable. I have tried this with Spinach and Ricotta, which is more widely available and also works nicely.

Can I use ravioli instead?

It’s not as easy to stir (unless it’s small) but it’ll work just the same!

Serving Spicy Sausage Tortellini

Once the sauce has thickened and the tortellini is al dente, serve it up right away with more parmesan, parsley and chilli flakes if desired! I don’t typically serve this with any Sides, although Garlic Bread is always welcomed with a dish like this. Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this one pot sausage tortellini shall we?!

How to make Spicy Sausage Tortellini (Full Recipe & Video)

For more spicy sausage pasta recipes check out my Harissa Sausage Pasta and Penne Arrabiata with Smoked Sausage! For more similar recipes check out these beauties: