One-Pot Tortellini With Meat Sauce

Name: One-Pot Tortellini With Meat Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed; 1 (28-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes; Salt and pepper; About 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (no need to thaw); Finely grated Parmesan, for serving; 1/2 cup/4 ounces grated mozzarella (optional)

By Ali Slagle

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

One-Pot Tortellini With Meat Sauce — Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(905)
Notes: Read community notes

This no-chop, one-pot wonder comes together in 45 minutes with just a handful of pantry staples. Refrigerated or frozen tortellini plump in a meat sauce that’s brawny with hot or sweet Italian sausage and garlic. Finish the dish with a grating of Parmesan, or even a blanket of melted mozzarella, if you would like to turn it into more of a baked pasta.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

4garlic cloves, peeled
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoons tomato paste
1pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1(28-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
About 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (no need to thaw)
Finely grated Parmesan, for serving
½cup/4 ounces grated mozzarella (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Finely grate the garlic into a large Dutch oven or skillet. Add the olive oil and tomato paste and set over medium-high heat. When it sizzles, stir until the oil is a rusty red, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is starting to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Stir in the tomatoes. (If using whole tomatoes, break them up with your spoon.) Season with salt and pepper and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer over medium until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the tortellini, cover and cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through and scraping any that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot. If the sauce looks dry, add ¼ cup water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with Parmesan.
Step 4
If you’d like a melted-cheese top like a baked pasta, heat the broiler with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Sprinkle the tortellini with the mozzarella. Broil until melted and browned in spots, 2 to 4 minutes.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

905 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Dan D1 year ago

Maybe it’s just me, but this recipe is begging at least for an Italian spice blend to that sauce.

Dave L1 year ago

A small gripe: What is wrong with Pecorino Romano? There's an obsession with Parmesan in all these recipes. I love Parmesan, but for southern red sauce dishes Romano is the go-to cheese. It cuts through the sauce better, and at half the price.

Dani1 year ago

“Italian sausage” is a fresh pork sausage, never smoked, flavored with garlic and fennel. “Hot Italian sausage” also has spicy red peppers. “Sweet Italian sausage” is not actually sweetened (like a breakfast sausage) it just doesn’t have the peppers found in “hot Italian sausage”.

kim2 weeks ago

Great easy recipe! I followed @Pretzel’s advice and browned the sausage before adding the tomato paste and the garlic. Next time I will throw the frozen tortellini in as the sauce reduces so it’s not as dry at the end.

Brigid1 month ago

I have dried tortellini not fresh or frozen, will this still work?

Denise SC1 month ago

I used some meatballs I had in the freezer, and that worked well. I added some additional spices as well. Otherwise, what an easy way to cook the tortellini (that was frozen) so I learned a new skill. Worth it.

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