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This Creamy Tomato and Spinach Tortellini recipe is a quick 30-minute weeknight dinner featuring cheese-filled tortellini in a rich, homemade pink tomato cream sauce with fresh spinach, basil, and parmesan cheese.
The Creamy Tortellini Pasta that's my chaos-to-calm dinner.
The Creamy Tortellini Pasta that's my chaos-to-calm dinner.This Creamy Tomato Tortellini has honestly saved me on more chaotic weeknights than I can count! It's so quick to make and budget friendly; I can keep all the ingredients on hand–tortellini in the fridge, canned tomatoes in the pantry, and extra spinach I always seem to have on hand. lBut what really makes my heart happy? Watching my kids actually eat their vegetables without complaint because they're swimming in that dreamy pink sauce.
Try my other 30-minute meal recipes, like Schnitzel, Instant Pot Spaghetti, Chicken Caesar Wraps, Baked Tacos, and Peanut Noodles!
How to make Creamy Tomato Tortellini:
Cook Tortellini: Follow the instructions to cook, watch them close they usually only cook for a couple minutes! Once they float, they're ready.
Make Sauce: I know it's tempting to just dump in a bottled sauce, but I promise this homemade sauce is quick, delicious, and tastes like it's from a restaurant! Make a simple roux with the butter and flour then add seasonings, milk, and cream. Simmer until slightly thickened then dump in diced tomatoes, spinach, basil, and oregano. Taste and adjust seasonings to your likings.
Combine: Dump in cooked tortellini and parmesan cheese into your delicious homemade sauce and toss. Serve immediately with breadsticks or homemade baguettes.
Red Sauce Tortellini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 ounces cheese tortellini, (the refrigerated kind)
- 2 Tablespoons butter, , salted or unsalted
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes*
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, , chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, , chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, , plus more for serving
- crushed red pepper flakes, , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook tortellini according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.20 ounces cheese tortellini
- Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add butter and cook until melted. Whisk in flour. Add garlic and and onion powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in milk and cream, whisking as you pour and stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to simmer.2 Tablespoons butter, 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Add diced tomatoes, spinach, basil and oregano. Taste and season with salt and pepper or add more seasonings if desired. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted.15 oz can petite diced tomatoes*, 1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Finish and Serve: Remove from heat. Stir in cooked tortellini. Serve warm with extra parmesan sprinkled on top, and crushed red pepper, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this recipe in September 2014. Updated April 2018 and January 2026.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh? How much shredded frozen spinach?
You can really add however much you like–Id start with about 1/2 cup.
This was really good. Pleasantly surprised! 🙂
Turned out so yummy! Will be making this one again. Thanks for the recipe.
A favorite of mine! Instead of cream, I use evaporated milk. Can’t taste a difference. Yummy!
Dang Lauren! This tastes like something you would eat in an Italian restaurant, except probably way healthier. I could not believe, with only 3 tbsp of flour, how creamy and smooth it turned out. I tried this to use up some spinach I had and it is definitely delish. Your website is my go to place for ideas and I am rarely disappointed. Thanks so much (and my husband thanks you profusely also).
Turned out great. Easy meal to whip together after a long day at work. Thanks so much!
Very yummy and super quick and easy. I used some spinach I had frozen a couple weeks ago and it was delicious. Will definitely make this again! Might add some mushrooms or bacon next time.
This recipe takes like 10 minutes and is sooooo good.
So so good! Made it exactly as the recipe stated. I’ve never been disappointed by a recipe from Lauren!
Yummy, quick and easy. The only drawback is that 2 of my family members cannot have that much milk.
Try using chicken stock and just finish the sauce off with a small amount of heavy cream to give it the creaminess. I do this to cut back on dairy.