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One Pan Tortellini

A quick and creamy one-pan tortellini dinner with tomato cream sauce, spinach, and melted cheese that's ready in just 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. The pan should be large enough to hold all the tortellini comfortably.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Don't let it brown.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes, heavy cream, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Add the tortellini directly to the simmering sauce. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini floats to the surface and feels tender when pierced with a fork.
  5. Stir in the fresh spinach and watch it wilt into the creamy sauce within a minute.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. The residual heat will melt the cheese into a silky finish.

Notes

Don't boil the sauce vigorously - gentle simmering prevents the cream from breaking. Avoid overcooking the tortellini, which can make them mushy. Stir gently to keep pasta intact. Don't add Parmesan while pan is still on heat as it might become grainy. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to restore creamy texture. Budget-friendly substitutions: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, or frozen spinach instead of fresh.