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Looking for a quick dinner solution? You can make this easy creamy tomato sauce for your stuffed pasta like tortelloni or tortellini in just 15 minutes! Use store bought pasta parcels along with a sauce made of minimal ingredients that will create loads of flavour!
Want something even quicker? Take a look at our 5 Minute Ravioli Sauce!
The need for a quick and easy midweek dinner never really goes away. And a fresh stuffed pasta like tortellini or ravioli is my number one choice when I do need something fast.
My love for them might be based in another type of dumplings I was raised on. Or it could simply comes from the fact they are ubiquitous in supermarkets. And so easy to serve for dinner!
This recipe for tortelloni is a quick one. And no, ‘tortelloni’ is not ‘tortellini’ spelled wrong. They are two types of Italian stuffed pasta. Similar but not exactly the same!
Tortellini vs Tortelloni
The two pasta parcels are very similar but with a few differences. The main visible difference is the size. Tortelloni are bigger, nearly the size of ravioli.
They are traditionally stuffed with spinach and ricotta while tortellini are stuffed with a meat filling. That being said, you can find so many types of stuffing nowadays.
That might not be traditional but it certainly is delicious. The ones you see in this recipe were filled with mushrooms and mascarpone, very popular in my house. And they were divine!
Tortelloni are usually only dressed with butter and sometimes fried sage while tortellini are served in a broth. However, we are taking liberties here by offering a very quick and easy cream sauce for our tortelloni.
Creamy Tomato Sauce Recipe
This sauce is a combination of cream and tomatoes with a touch of aged cheese. Hard Italian cheese like This is an affiliate link.Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano or Asiago could be added.
Instead of using straight up tomatoes I went with This is an affiliate link.sun-dried tomato pesto. So much flavour is already built into it, so why not use it for a quick sauce with a killer taste! It’s a little kitchen hack I like using when I need flavours fast.
Finally, I’ve thrown a handful of fresh spinach for a vibrant and healthy touch of green. Vegetables help balance out the creamy sauce, and you can use any that you love. Asparagus, kale or tenderstem broccoli (broccolini) all sound like great choices to me. You will want to parboil asparagus and broccoli before adding to the sauce as they take a little longer to cook.
Although designed with tortelloni in mind, I love using this easy and delicious sauce for any type of pasta, stuffed or not! It’s a great recipe to have up your sleeve when you are short on time!
Serving suggestions
To make sure that the pasta doesn’t get soggy, it’s best to serve this dish when it is hot and fresh from the pan. I like to add some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and black pepper to finish things off.
I usually serve stuffed pasta with a light salad for a casual weeknight dinner. This Tomato Salad with Basil and Mozzarella is a favourite, although a simple green salad is also a good choice.
If you are expecting guests and want to show off with a traditional 3 course Italian dinner, start with antipasti. We have an extensive collection of authentic Italian recipes to choose from. Finish it off with our instant individual Amaretti Tiramisu and classic Italian cocktails.
More stuffed pasta recipes
- 5 Minute Ravioli Sauce
- Butternut Squash Ravioli Sauce
- Chicken Meatball Soup with Tortellini
- Tortellini with Sun-dried Tomatoes in Cream Sauce
Quick Tortelloni with Spinach in a Creamy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 450g / 1 lbs fresh tortelloni, or tortellini
- 4 tbsp This is an affiliate link.sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 4 basil leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 250ml / 1 cup double/heavy whipping cream
- 30g / 1 cup fresh spinach
- 50g / 1/2 cup This is an affiliate link.Parmesan Cheese, or other hard cheese like Asiago or Pecorino
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Set a large pot of salted water boiling and cook the tortelloni according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile in a large and deep pan heat the sun-dried tomato pesto together with minced garlic over low heat and fry while stirring for no longer than 30 seconds. Then add the basil, heavy cream and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add the spinach and let it wilt for a minute, then stir in the grated cheese. Take off the heat and keep warm.
- Drain the tortelloni while reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the tortelloni directly to the sauce and toss gently to combine. If the dish is a bit dry add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it until the right consistency. Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan and black pepper.
Video
Notes
- Tortelloni or Tortellini with any filling are suitable for this recipe.
- You can use fresh or frozen stuffed pasta.
- To lighten the sauce you can use single cream or light cream (20%) fat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
very quick and easy to put together with simple ingredients, we didn’t have spinach so left that out but still worked well to serve quickly with pasta
So easy to rustle up, I added some chopped bacon, some hot chili flakes,delicious and so easy and quick. Served with garlic bread.
Made this recipe in food tech. The sauce was one of the only things that went right tbh that and the soufflé 😭
SO glad the sauce turned out for you, Cole and souffle is hard, well done!
I like the sauce and it is easy to make but my sauce is clumpy not creamy. I used grated parmesan cheese not sure if that is the cause. I also doubled the sauce and used bow tie pasta instead. Daughter who is very picky even eats the spinach. Any advice to make it creamy would be appreciated.
Hi Tracy, using pre-grated Parmesan cheese is mostly likely the reason. It’s packed with anti-caking agent aka starch, which can make sauces grainy and clumpy. Freshly grated Parmesan simply melts into the sauce for a silky smooth consistency. It doesn’t matter what pasta you use, this sauce works for every type of pasta.