One Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini Bake

In the event you love pasta evening, this One Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini Bake goes to be a brand new favourite. The sausage browns proper within the pan, constructing layers of wealthy, savory taste that mingle with garlic, onion, and herbs. All the things simmers collectively in a thick tomato sauce with the tortellini cooking straight within the sauce. Then it’s topped with mozzarella and Parmesan, baked till the cheese melts right into a bubbly golden blanket of goodness.

For soup season, attempt my tomato tortellini soup for a steamy bowl of consolation meals.

Why My Recipe

• One-pan, no-boil baked technique with pasta cooking straight in sauce.
• Loaded with tacky tortellini, savory sausage, and a tasty tomato sauce.
• Comes collectively quick for a simple weeknight dinner the entire household will love.

Most recipes for tortellini bake have you ever boil the pasta first or combine in a heavy cream sauce that may drown out the flavour. Not this one. The tortellini cooks proper within the sauce so it soaks up each little bit of taste, and the feel stays excellent (not mushy). The tomato base retains it savory and flavorful, whereas the cheese on prime offers you that oven-baked end. It’s the best, most flavorful model on the market, and all of it occurs in a single pot from begin to end.

Ingredient Notes

• Olive Oil: Use common olive oil for sautéing the onion and sausage. Further virgin works too, however save the flamboyant stuff for drizzling.
• Yellow Onion: A small yellow onion provides a pleasant sweetness that balances the tomato sauce. White onion can even work if that’s what you may have.
• Italian Sausage: Select between delicate or sizzling relying in your choice. Gentle offers a basic Italian taste, whereas sizzling provides a little bit kick. You can too swap in hen or turkey sausage for a lighter model.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is finest for that wealthy, fragrant taste. In the event you solely have garlic powder, use 1 teaspoon instead of the recent garlic.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Search for good-quality canned crushed tomatoes for the most effective taste. San Marzano-style tomatoes give a barely sweeter, richer sauce.
• Tomato Sauce: A can of plain tomato sauce helps make the dish saucier and smooths out the feel of the crushed tomatoes.
• Granulated Sugar: Only a contact balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Don’t skip it—it actually rounds out the sauce.
• Dried Oregano and Basil: These two basic Italian herbs carry heat and depth to the sauce. You possibly can substitute 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning in case you favor.
• Salt and Black Pepper: Regulate to style, particularly in case your sausage is already seasoned.
• Cheese Tortellini: Use refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini. If utilizing frozen, there’s no must thaw—it can prepare dinner completely within the sauce.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Shred it recent in case you can; pre-shredded cheese doesn’t soften as easily.
• Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan offers the most effective salty, nutty taste. Be at liberty to sprinkle a little bit additional on prime earlier than serving.
• Contemporary Parsley: Provides a pop of colour and a little bit of freshness on the finish. You can too use recent basil in case you favor.

Refrigerated vs Frozen vs Dried Tortellini

I’ve examined this recipe each which manner, and right here’s what you want to know. Refrigerated and frozen tortellini each work nice. They bake up tender and plump with simply the proper chew, they usually soak in all that scrumptious sauce as they prepare dinner.

Refrigerated tortellini are the commonest and often prepare dinner barely sooner. Simply toss them proper into the sauce and bake as directed.

Frozen tortellini are rather less costly and simply as tasty. You don’t even must thaw them first.

Dried tortellini can work, however they don’t provide you with that very same gentle, tacky texture that makes this dish particular. They want extra liquid and an extended bake time, and even then, the outcomes aren’t fairly the identical. Follow refrigerated or frozen for the most effective texture and taste.

Selecting Your Sausage

Sausage is the spine of the flavour right here, so decide one that matches your style. Gentle Italian sausage offers you a basic taste that pairs completely with the cheese and tomato sauce. In the event you like a little bit warmth, go for sizzling Italian sausage as an alternative. It provides a little bit kick that my household positively loves.

You can too use candy Italian sausage in case you like that contact of fennel and even hen or turkey sausage for a lighter model. Simply remember the fact that leaner sausages launch much less fats, so you could need to add a small drizzle of olive oil whereas they prepare dinner.

Optionally available Add-Ins

This recipe is superb as-is, but it surely’s additionally an incredible base to customise. If you wish to sneak in a number of veggies, attempt including about two cups of child spinach proper earlier than topping with cheese.. It wilts proper into the sauce and provides a pop of colour.

For a little bit additional taste, sauté one diced bell pepper or eight ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onion. The mushrooms carry out the savory notes within the sausage, whereas the peppers add a little bit sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.

In the event you love issues additional tacky, combine half a cup of ricotta or cream cheese into the sauce earlier than including the tortellini. It offers the sauce a barely creamy, wealthy texture with out turning it right into a heavy cream-based dish.

You can too swap the mozzarella for provolone for extra stretch or add a sprinkle of pecorino romano for a saltier chew.

What Makes this Sauce Pop

A fantastic sauce doesn’t simply occur, but this one certain feels prefer it does! It’s constructed layer by layer. Browning the sausage first offers you these little caramelized bits on the underside of the pan. Don’t rush this step. That’s the place the magic begins.

As soon as the sausage is browned, the onion and garlic go in. The warmth softens the onion and takes away that sharp chew, and the garlic turns aromatic and buttery. In the event you actually need to deepen the flavour, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste proper earlier than including the crushed tomatoes. Let it prepare dinner for a few minute so it caramelizes a bit. That additional minute makes the sauce style prefer it’s been simmering for hours.

The crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce mix collectively right into a wealthy, thick base. A small pinch of sugar balances the acidity and retains the sauce clean.

Pan Measurement Issues

For this recipe, the proper pan makes all of the distinction. In the event you’re utilizing a 12-inch skillet, be sure it’s a deep one, like a braiser pan. You’ll want sufficient room for the sauce, tortellini, and all that wonderful cheese on prime. A 4 to 6-quart pot is a protected guess.

Enameled forged iron is my favourite as a result of it holds warmth evenly and goes straight from the range to the oven with out lacking a beat. In the event you don’t have one, don’t fear, any oven-safe pot will do the job.

In case your skillet or pot isn’t oven protected, you may switch the whole lot to a 9×13 baking dish as soon as the tortellini are coated in sauce and topped with cheese. It’s an additional step, but it surely works simply as properly.

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