Tuscan Cheese Tortellini

This creamy Tuscan Cheese Tortellini is filled with sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach. Enjoy it as a quick and easy one pot meal or as a decadent side dish with any of your favorite Italian-inspired entrées.

Ingredients to Make Creamy Tuscan Cheese Tortellini Recipe

This creamy tortellini requires very little prep time making it perfect for busy weeknights. The flavor combination is appealing, making it a dish that’s impressive enough for entertaining. Ingredients to make creamy Tuscan Tortellini Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Pasta – One package of refrigerated three cheese tortellini.
Creamy Sauce – Half and half, heavy cream or whipping cream and chive and onion cream cheese.
Tomatoes – Julienned sundried tomatoes add a robust flavor and texture.
Onion and Garlic – One diced sweet onion or yellow onion for a stronger onion flavor. Fresh minced garlic cloves enhances the sauce.
Oil – Olive oil for sautéing the onion.
Seasonings – Dry Italian seasoning, garlic salt or plain salt, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper.
Spinach – One 5 ounce package of baby spinach leaves for color and texture.
Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan cheese gives it a salty bite.
Garnish – Fresh basil for garnishing.

how-do-you-make-tuscan-cheese-tortellini-recipe

How to Make the BEST Tuscan Cheese Tortellini Recipe

Pasta – Cook the cheese tortellini in salted boiling water per the package instructions. Drain well.
Onion and Garlic – Sauté onion over medium-high heat with olive oil in a large skillet until softened, then add garlic.
Add Seasonings – Add Italian seasoning, garlic salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Tomatoes – To the skillet add the sundried tomatoes. Stir well.
Make the Sauce – Add the half and half and cream cheese. Simmer over medium heat until the cream cheese has completely melted.
Combine – Add the cheese tortellini and spinach to the skillet. Mix together over medium heat cooking until the spinach has wilted and the tortellini is coated evenly with the creamy sauce.
Garnish – Serve immediately topped with grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with ribbons of fresh basil.

Tips for Making Tuscan Cheese Tortellini

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large skillet, large pot or pasta pot, measuring cups, measuring spoons, cheese grater, sharp knife and chopping board. You can also cook it in a dutch oven.
Refrigerated or Frozen Tortellini: Refrigerated tortellini cooks rather quickly so it’s my go-to for this recipe. You could use frozen tortellini. Just prepare it per the package directions then add it to the recipe.
Wilt the Spinach: When adding the baby spinach to the skillet, it should be cooked just until it wilts. This will happen fairly quickly and shouldn’t add liquid or thin the texture of the sauce overall.
How to Serve: Serve this tortellini with Baked Parmesan Pork Chops or oven fried Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts.
Side Dishes to Serve with Tuscan Tortellini: You can serve this dish as a meatless entrée with a salad, honey garlic carrots or roasted broccoli.

Recipe Variations

Protein: You could add 1 pound of cooked and crumbled Italian sausage. Use spicy sausage or mild sausage, go with your personal preference.
Cream: You can use half and half, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for the sauce. Each one has a different amount of fat and will lend a slightly different texture. All three are delicious!
Olive Oil: You could use butter in place of olive oil to cook the diced onion and garlic. You could also use vegetable oil.
Garlic Salt: You can use plain table salt and garlic powder in place of garlic salt.
Spinach: You could swap out the spinach and use kale. Each one cooks slightly different, so adapt the cooking time accordingly cooking until the kale has wilted.
Bacon: You could add crispy cooked bacon or pancetta to the tortellini.
Herbs: You can garnish the top with chopped parsley or chives in place of basil.
Pasta: You can make this recipe using chicken tortellini, tri-color tortellini or another flavor of tortellini that you enjoy.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers: Store leftover Tuscan Cheese Tortellini in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat. You may need to add additional milk or cream to thin the sauce.
Freezer: Freeze leftover cheese tortellini for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Easy Pasta Recipes to Make

This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is perfect for weekday meals and game day.
Boursin Pasta is easy enough for a quick meal, yet impressive enough for entertaining.
Cajun Chicken Pasta with Andouille is packed with flavor.
This Cowboy Pasta Salad is hearty and filling.
My recipe for Baked Pasta Bolognese is a family favorite.
Add this quick and easy Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta to your side dish rotation.
Make this Spaghetti Carbonara with ham!
Sausage Kabobs with Pasta from Noble Pig.

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