I’ve really been digging cheese tortellini lately because it’s as easy as plain pasta, but it’s just a bit more hearty (thanks to that cheese filling), so it instantly makes any pasta dish feel more substantial, even without adding meat. Last week I made this super easy Spinach Tortellini Skillet, which is a riff on one of our most popular recipes, Creamy Tomato and Spinach Pasta. This tortellini version is a bit easier (no chopping onion!) and a little more filling. I hope you enjoy!
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What’s in This Tortellini SKillet
This recipe is incredibly simple, which makes it the perfect easy weeknight dinner. It’s got cheesy tortellini that we toss in a homemade creamy tomato sauce, and a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach thrown in for color, texture, and nutrients. The only ingredients you need to make this delicious pasta skillet are:
- Herbs and spices: We kept the sauce pretty simple as far as seasonings go, with just some fresh garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Diced tomatoes: We opted for petite diced tomatoes here to keep the sauce from being too chunky. You could also use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for more flavor!
- Cream cheese: This instantly gives the tomato sauce a thick and creamy texture which coats the tortellini beautifully.
- Cheese tortellini: We used frozen cheese tortellini, which cooks quickly (about 3 min.), but you can use whatever flavor or type of tortellini you prefer.
- Parmesan cheese: A little Parmesan cheese at the end really helps boost the umami flavor in the skillet, and adds a little extra richness to the sauce.
- Fresh spinach: A few handfuls of fresh spinach thrown into the sauce gives this dish a beautiful dose of color and a little extra veggie power.
What Else Can I Add?
I think this dish is pretty hearty as-is, but if you want to add some meat you have several options. You could brown some Italian Sausage in the skillet before the garlic and incorporate it into the sauce, you could top the skillet with some sliced seared chicken breast, or you could even add some garlic butter shrimp!
If you like your food spicy, definitely add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper to the tomato sauce for a little kick. And if you want this to be EXTRA indulgent, try topping it with some mozzarella and baking it in the oven until melted! 😮
What to Serve with This Tortellini Skillet
GARLIC BREAD. This recipe is just begging for some buttery, crispy, homemade garlic bread! And if you’re like me, you already have some stashed in your freezer ready to bake on a moment’s notice. ;) And if you want some extra veggies with this meal, you can use any leftover spinach you might have to make a simple side salad. Or make some easy roasted broccoli to serve on the side!
How are the LEftovers?
Fan-freaking-tastic, IMHO! The sauce does get a little thick with time in the refrigerator, but that does not impede on the cozy, cheesy goodness of this dish. The microwave is going to be your best bet for reheating the leftovers as it will reheat quickly without losing too much moisture. Make sure to keep the dish partially covered to hold in the steam, and stir occasionally to help it reheat evenly.
Spinach Tortellini Skillet
Servings 4Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 1 28oz. can petite diced tomatoes ($1.69)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp Freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- 4 oz. cream cheese ($1.10)
- 19 oz. frozen cheese tortellini ($4.79)
- 2 cups fresh spinach ($0.60)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.36)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet with the olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), basil, oregano, and pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine and continue to cook and stir until the tomatoes are hot.
- Cut the cream cheese into chunks, then add it to the hot tomato sauce in the skillet. Continue to cook and stir until the cream cheese has melted into the tomatoes and created a smooth and creamy sauce (use a whisk, if needed).
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the tortellini. Once boiling, add the tortellini and continue to boil for about three minutes, or until they are all floating (make sure to check the package instructions for the recommended cook time). Drain the tortellini in a colander.
- While the tortellini is draining, roughly chop the spinach into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped spinach to the sauce in the skillet and stir to combine, allowing the heat to wilt the spinach.
- Add the drained tortellini to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan over top and stir to combine. Give the tortellini a taste and adjust any salt or seasonings to your liking. Serve hot and enjoy!
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How to Make Spinach Tortellini Skillet – Step by Step Photos
Mince four cloves of garlic, then add them to a large skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add one 28oz. can of petite diced tomatoes to the skillet (with the juices), along with ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp dried oregano, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Stir the ingredients together and continue to heat over medium, stirring occasionally.
Once the tomatoes are hot, cut 4 oz. of cream cheese into chunks, then add it to the skillet.
Continue to cook and stir the sauce over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted in and created a smooth and creamy sauce. You can use a whisk, if needed, to help the cream cheese melt into the sauce well.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 19oz. frozen cheese tortellini. Allow the tortellini to boil for about 3 minutes, or until it’s all floating (check the package directions for recommended cooking time). Drain the tortellini in a colander.
While the tortellini is draining, roughly chop about 2 cups of fresh spinach into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped spinach to the sauce in the skillet and stir it in, allowing the heat to wilt the spinach.
Add the drained tortellini to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce.
Sprinkle about ¼ cup Grated or shredded Parmesan over top, then stir to combine.
Give the tortellini one final taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! We found that between the canned tomatoes, cream cheese, and Parmesan, no additional salt was needed for our taste buds. A pinch or two of crushed red pepper would also be awesome!
So tasty! One of the tastiest pasta recipes I’ve ever ate. Simple to make and truly delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
This meal was absolutely delicious, my husband and I really loved it, served with garlic bread
Delicious! And really filling for the cost!
My picky hubby wandered to the pan while I was cooking this dish and took a long look at what was in it (it was almost done). He said, “that’s a lot of big red pieces”, and I told him to give it a chance. Well, he and my daughter loved it (and it’s leftovers) and I loved how EASY and QUICK it was to throw together. TY BB!
I made this dish tonight and followed the recipe exactly. We all loved it, including two teenage boys! I’m surprised I have a leftover bowl full for tomorrow. Thanks for this great recipe!
I doubled the recipe and added some chopped beef kielbasa, omg, just omg. Everyone loved it and the picky youngest one went in for seconds! Amazing recipe definitely worth a try and it’s so so so easy to make and quick!
I made this tonight since I happened to have all the ingredients. I did add a little chopped onion but otherwise made it as directed (mostly- I didn’t really measure). It was so easy and delicious. My 12 y.o. son was skeptical but after trying it, he said he was “flabbergasted” at how good it was! Next time I’ll make sure to get some crusty bread to have with it.
I love this recipe for a weeknight dinner. I usually add in sausage in the beginning before adding in garlic for a whole balanced meal. It’s super easy and flavorful!
Quick, easy, & delicious. I subbed fresh spinach for frozen spinach. I would probably add a little crushed red pepper next time.
Very good and easy to make
I made this dish tonight and it turned out AMAZING!!!!
My husband is a super picky eater, but he loved it too.
It’s definitely earned a spot in our weekly rotation. I could eat this every day!
Really good and easy meal. I substituted 2 cans of Rotelle for diced tomatoes and stirred in 1# of browned ground beef. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve made this over and over. This is a super helpful recipe to make at the start of the week to have leftovers for dinner after work. I always end up throwing a bag of frozen vegetables of some kind in there too, because why not.
Simple and delicious! Good for meal prep as the dish is plentiful.
I made this and it turned soooooo good!! I did just as the recipe said but I also added smoked sausage and my whole family ate it up! Will be making this a staple meal for sure!!
This was so easy and tasteful! I plan to make this again.
Made ahead for my lunches this week and 10/10 would make again. So simple to make but hits the spot.
Would this recipe freeze well. Was thinking of having 1/2 tonight and then freezing the other 1/2 for later. Thanks!
As Beth mentions in the section, “HOW ARE THE LEFTOVERS?” this meal is great if refrigerated and then reheated as she outlines. It keeps for around 4 days. We haven’t tried freezing it but generally wouldn’t recommend it. ~ Marion :)
Could I use dried tortellini instead,
would I need to change anything? Thanks!
Not much needs to be adjusted since we cook the tortellini separately from the rest of the dish. However, I would consult the package instructions to make sure you cook the brand of tortellini you are using long enough. It may need to boil slightly longer if cooking from dry. ~ Marion :)
I this dish was good, and definitely quick and easy to make which is why it got 4 stars. When I have leftovers tomorrow I am going to add the crushed red pepper, I think it needs that little kick.
We really liked this one! It’s going into the regular rotation. We had refrigerated tortellini and I took the suggestion of a previous reviewer and added it straight to the sauce to let it simmer until tender, keeping a little extra liquid on hand and stirring often to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. Also, we had some heavy cream to use up, so I added about 3 Tbsp of that instead of using cream cheese, which was lovely.
I just made this and I thought it was really good! Easy, quick, and tasty. It’s very tomato-y and they give it a nice bright taste, so if you don’t like the taste of diced tomatoes, you probably won’t like it. I, however, will definitely make it again! Maybe with some fresh basil next time.
It looked and smelled really good. It seemed like it needed a little something at the end. My husband thought the sauce was a bit acidic so maybe I’ll add a little sugar next time. We put the leftovers in the freezer and plan to add mozzarella cheese and bake it to reheat and see how we like it that way. Thank you for such a pretty recipe.
This was really tasty! I used fresh tortellini instead of frozen (they were out of frozen) and I didn’t even need to boil it in a separate pot. I just put it in the tomatoes/spices before adding the cream cheese and let it simmer for a few minutes, then continued with the recipe. Turned out great!
ignore the haters Beth. This was so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simple and delicious! Will absolutely make again!
Hi, could I use frozen spinach if I don’t have any fresh on hand? Thank you
Hello, you can delete my question as I see in the comments you already answered a question about frozen spinach. Thanks
Mine came out a little watery, but otherwise delicious. I added turkey sausage at the beginning per the recommendation. It’s cheesy and hearty, a good balance of healthy and indulgent. The sauce turns out to be pink, so it’s cute meal for Valentine’s Day.
I added some fresh torn basil over the dried and some grated Pecorino Romano cheese. delicioso!
This is great! Making it for the second time tonight. The creamy sauce works very well.
What size skillet do you use for all these recipes? I looked on the cookware section and but wasn’t quite certain exactly what size you are using for the one pot skillet recipes. Wanna make sure I get the right size, thank you! :)
Hi! That looks like a 10 or 12″ stainless-steel skillet. If you just get one (That’s all you really need!), I would suggest getting either a larger skillet or a saute pan (the kind with the higher, flat sides) that has a lid, a metal/oven-safe handle, and at least a 2.5-3qt capacity. I also love my 12″ cast iron skillet and use it for just about everything. (I cover it with a cookie sheet whenever I need a “lid.” Lol.) Any one of these choices will work with just about any stovetop recipe. I hope that helps! ~ Marion :)
My husband and I loved this! It came together quickly with freezer and pantry ingredients. I look forward to having it again soon…
I added a pinch of sugar and it made all the difference! Also used refrigerated tortellini— not frozen — and it totally worked. Easy & tasty.
I made this today because we had the frozen tortellini. Turned out great!
Just so-so. A bit too rich for my taste. If I make again, I may cut the amount of cream cheese in 1/2 and save some pasta water to add a bit more liquid for the sauce.
I tried this recipe for dinner and I really hate to say it but neither husband or I liked it. Followed recipe to a T. It just ended up tasting almost acrid. I also wanted to echo what Alla said in her post. I have also been cooking with Beth and Budget bytes for many years now, I consider it my cooking home! I learned everything from Beth and Budgetbytes is so dear to my heart. But lately it feels different :/
What tortellini brand did you use? I’ve gotten the Great Value brand before and didn’t love it, looking for something reliable. Thanks!
I’m not sure which brand Beth used for testing/photos (but I’d guess Kroger brand since that’s where we usually shop!) I really like Rana and Buitoni! (I typically buy the ones in the fridge section (over by the butter and cheese) rather than frozen ones. They take a bit longer to cook, but since you cook them separately in this preparation, swapping wouldn’t affect the outcome of the recipe.) ~Marion :)
Thank you!!
Could you use frozen spinach in this?
Definitely! I would thaw it first and squeeze out some of the extra moisture before adding it to the skillet. You will also need a lot less frozen spinach. Two cups of fresh spinach will cook down to about 1/4 cup (so use about that much frozen). ~ marion :)
Hi,
Instead of tortellini, could I use any Pasta, e.g., Penne, Shell?
Sure! Since you cook the tortellini separately, it could be replaced with pasta. The pasta will just require more cooking time, I would follow the package directions for cooking to “al dente” (the shortest recommended time) and then follow the rest of the recipe as written. ~Marion :)
This looks delicious and I have no doubt it is. But I just wanted to share a bit of honest feedback that the latest updates and recipes are just… not the same. Can’t even put my finger on it. Repetitive, sometimes too basic. Sometimes too plain. I have been cooking with Budget Bytes for years now and I only hope it’s temporary and there are tons of great recipes to come.
Thanks for the feedback, Alla! I really do appreciate it. It’s true, we have been trying to concentrate a bit more on classic recipes lately and I’m trying to train a team on the budget bytes way, so I think that once we get more settled we can start pumping out more of those creative budget bytes style recipes! :)
Beth, thank you for your explanation about what you are planning at BB. I, too, really wait for those recipes that seem so magical because of their flexibility. Your research helps me so much with basic cooking…like baking drumsticks for 40 min at 425° turning once. It revolutionized my ability to make baked chicken. I can still get organic ones at Costco for 1.99/lb, so I’ve been making these with different seasonings over and over. This is the kind of simple magic you create. I think that you could use a new category called “METHOD” and put some of the complicated pie crust recipe types with chef tips and discussion into that category and in the title. Then when I want to delve in and concentrate, I could look up all those method posts. Some of Monti’s posts could actually be two. One with the basic recipe and another for all the tips and the why. Your site is the best one out there for me. Thank you all!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I agree. This is my go-to site but it’s changed; you can tell these are not Beth’s creations. But there are still lots more recipes for me to try. I have learned lots from this site. I mentioned it before that lots of times this is a great site for ideas and you can change it up as you are cooking.
Thanks for understanding, Judith! And thank you to everyone else who has chimed in. Your voice has definitely been heard! I’m going to try to make sure we weave in more of those simple and creative BB recipes into the schedule going forward and slow down a little bit on the classic recipes. :) <3
I agree that this site has helped me learn a lot about basic cooking! It’s also helped me feel like I know enough about cooking to come up with some of my own recipes.
I tried this recipe for dinner and I really hate to say it but neither husband or I liked it. Followed recipe to a T. It just ended up tasting almost acrid. I also wanted to echo what Alla said in her post. I have also been cooking with Beth and Budget bytes for many years now, I consider it my cooking home! I learned everything from Beth and Budgetbytes is so dear to my heart. But lately it feels different :/
Thanks for saying this Alla. I have to say I agree. BudgetBytes has given me so much over the years and has truly made me fall in love with cooking again, but lately the recipes have been really disappointing. I still recycle ones from years ago but haven’t used any of the new ones from about the past year. I completely understand that Beth and team are refocusing and doing new things lately…but if there’s any way to go back to the way things were, that would be incredible. Sending Beth so much love – you’ve done so much for me and for so many folks around the world!!