Baked Tortellini with Italian Sausage
While this baked tortellini dish requires a bit of chopping and some stove preparation, it can be refrigerated and baked longer for a ready-to-go meal. The fresh ingredients make the dish taste a thousand times more complicated and gourmet than it really is, which is another reason this large dish is great to feed a crowd. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the delicious, creamy sauce, and prepare for compliments. Even the leftovers are to die for!
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
Cook's Notes:
If tortellini have been cooked and refrigerated in advance, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (180 degrees C) and increase the bake time to 40 to 45 minutes. This time and temperature are also ideal if you would like to prepare all ingredients in the baking dish to refrigerate, then place in the oven before dinner time.
Omit one can of tomatoes for a creamier taste. Additional cream cheese could also be added. The seasonings in the sausage will be a huge factor in the flavor of this dish, so buy a quality brand and bear in mind that the spiciness will be tempered by the cream sauce and pasta if you decide on a hot variety. Another type of filled pasta could be substituted for the tortellini, and vegetables can be substituted for preference or in-season produce. I do recommend keeping the bell peppers and using red, orange, or yellow for sweetness.