Name: One Pan Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Tortellini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 shallot, thinly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon Italian season; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 cup water; 1 cup thinly sliced marinated sundried tomatoes, drained; 1 1/4 cup heavy cream; 20 ounces refrigerated or frozen tortellini; 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach; 1/4 cup sliced basil leaves; Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Jump to Recipe

Creamy tortellini with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and basil. This is an easy one-pan recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes.

the finished dish in a pan with a wooden spoon.

If I were a hip millennial food influencer, I would call this recipe Marry Me tortellini. But, alas, I am neither hip nor millennial, so I call it creamy sun-dried tomato tortellini. I mean, the fact I used the word “hip” twice in this paragraph should tell you I am anything but.

But maybe you’ve never heard of “marry me” recipes? If so, prepare to be influenced because there’s a reason these kinds of recipes go viral. Some sort of crazy alchemy happens when you combine sun-dried tomatoes with heavy cream. The lightly acidic, sweet, and tart tomatoes balance the cream’s richness, creating a sauce that is best described as harmonious. It really does sing.

Not to brag, but I’ve known this for a while – one of my all-time favorite pasta recipes is a 5-ingredient sun-dried tomato Alfredo pasta I first shared back in the ye olden days of 2016. Since then, I’ve shared other variations because I never tire of the creamy, saucy magicalness. If only I’d thought to call these recipes “Marry Me fill in the blank.” Oh well, such is life.

So, allow me to introduce you to this creamy tortellini skillet recipe. It’s an easy one with all the magical “marry me” features, plus you only need one pan and 30 minutes to make it.

Ingredients

Sun-dried tomatoes: Buy marinated ones in a jar. Usually, you can find whole ones (which you’ll need to slice) or sliced ones (which will save you some time).
Cheese tortellini: I like refrigerated or frozen tortellini – both work great. You cook the tortellini right in the sauce.
Heavy cream: Use the good stuff, friends. I wouldn’t use half and half or milk in this recipe – the sauce won’t be as rich or thick. So, treat yourself. You deserve it.
Shallot: We be fancy with this! Shallot has a milder flavor than onion, so it doesn’t overwhelm the sauce. You can use onion instead, but I would use white onion. It’s a little less pungent than yellow or red onions.
Garlic: of course.
Fresh spinach
Fresh basil leaves
Seasonings: Kosher salt and Italian seasoning
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for garnish

How to Make It

☑️ Saute

Heat the oil and cook the shallot until softened. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, stir, and, after a minute, deglaze the pan with water. Add the salt and tomatoes.

shallots, sundried tomatoes, and water in a pan.

☑️ Cook the Tortellini

Add the cream and tortellini to the pan. Stir, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook the pasta for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times.

☑️ Add the Spinach

Stir in the spinach and cook it with the pasta for a few minutes or until it wilts. Sprinkle the basil over the top and some Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for garnish.

Recipe Tips

I like cheese tortellini for this recipe, but you can use other kinds of tortellini with different fillings. You can also use kale instead of spinach, but you will need to cook it a little longer.

You can add a protein if you like – cooked shredded chicken, ground Italian sausage, or canned white beans would be good. If you use meat, cook it first and then add it to the sauce towards the end of the cooking time.

Once you’ve added the cream, don’t let it boil. Keep an eye on the heat and adjust it as needed. If the sauce boils, it may break and become less creamy.

This dish is best when it’s made. It will keep in the fridge for a few days, but the pasta will absorb the sauce.

More One Pan Pasta Recipes

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

More Recipes with Tortellini

This creamy tortellini skillet is so easy – try it soon!

Happy one-pan cooking,