Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (or ground beef)
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1.5 cups water
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, cubed and softened
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. Drain off excess fat if there is more than a tablespoon or so.
- Build the sauce: Pour in the marinara sauce and water. Scrape up the browned bits, then bring to a strong simmer.
- Cook the tortellini: Stir in the cheese tortellini, making sure it is submerged. Cover and simmer, stirring once halfway, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has reduced.
- Make it creamy: Kill the heat. Scatter the cubed, softened cream cheese over the top, let it sit a minute to soften, then stir until fully melted and the sauce turns glossy and pink. Let it rest a few minutes to thicken before serving.
Notes
- Cream cheese is the most foolproof creamy-without-cream option; it will not break and it thickens as it cools.
- For a high-protein version, swap in 1 cup of cottage cheese blended completely smooth, add it off the heat, and do not let it boil or it will get grainy.
- If the sauce looks thin at the end, uncover and simmer another minute or two before adding the cheese; it is much easier to reduce than to fix a watery sauce.
- For a lower calorie option, swap sausage with ground turkey or ground chicken with Italian seasoning
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 33gFat: 38g