Creamy Pesto Tortellini – Cheese tortellini tossed in a creamy pesto sauce with smoked turkey sauce gets dinner on the table in 20 minutes any night of the week!
I am all for quick dinners. Weeknights are crazy. And when you have teenagers that add to that, the schedule just gets even crazier. So if I can get dinner on the table in under 20 minutes, like One Pan Spicy Garlic Shrimp I am happy, and so is my family.
I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen making dinner, but I also don’t want to have take out or fast food every night either. I love doing make your own take out like Chicken Lo Mein for quick dinners as well. On the table in the same amount of time it would take for delivery.
I am a sucker for pesto, and will incorporate it any time I can. Italian Turkey Cutlets are so easy and so good, and also work perfectly with chicken. This creamy pesto sauce would go with just about anything, but works really well with cheese tortellini. I added some smoked turkey sausage to make it a full meal. It is super creamy, full of all the herbs and deliciousness of pesto and a great weeknight dinner.
This is almost like tortellini alfredo that just has a little bit of pesto stirred in at the end. You don’t want to heat the pesto too much, or it starts to separate and ruins the sauce. But stirred in right at the end, it is creamy and delicious! If you want to skip the sausage you could use a different flavored tortellini and it would be wonderful as well.
If you have a homemade pesto that you like it is great to use in this recipe. This Spinach Pesto gives you all the flavor you need and works great. Or you can use store bought. Whatever you have on hand is fine, definitely not something to stress over.
To make this tortellini alfredo I used a mix of heavy cream and regular milk. That is just so I could cut some of the fat and calories, but still have it creamy. If you want to go all out, feel free to use heavy cream for the entire thing. I wouldn’t go less than half though, or your sauce will be runny.
This creamy pesto sauce is going to be a staple in my house. I can see it tossed with spaghetti with grilled chicken served on top. Or even a shrimp pasta. It comes together in minutes. From start to finish you can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes, so it is great for any night of the week.
Serve with a side salad or go crazy and have Cheesy Garlic Bread. Whatever you do your family is going to love this dinner.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
- Instant Pot Meatballs
- Hot & Sour Soup
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Easy Sesame Chicken
- Spinach Chicken Alfredo
Creamy Pesto Tortellini
Creamy Pesto Tortellini - Cheese tortellini tossed in a creamy pesto sauce with smoked turkey sauce gets dinner on the table in 20 minutes any night of the week!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 13 ounces Smoked Turkey Sausage, such as kielbasa, sliced
- 20 ounces Fresh Cheese Tortellini
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 3/4 cup Skim Milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Pesto
Instructions
- Boil tortellini according to package directions.
- In a large skillet melt butter. Add sausage and sauté over medium high heat until browned.
- Mix cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together. Pour over cooked sausage.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add in cooked tortellini, tossing to coat.
- Stir in pesto until everything is blended. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 881Total Fat 58gSaturated Fat 24gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 29gCholesterol 173mgSodium 2072mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 2gSugar 7gProtein 36g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make!
Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Did you know there is a Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts SHOP? Check out all of my E-books as well as branded merchandise HERE! Or you can buy me a coffee to say thanks!
- Homemade Ravioli - March 22, 2023
- Chocolate Pizza - March 20, 2023
- Chicken Taco Soup - March 17, 2023
Sabrina says
I love pesto too…It adds such a fantastic flavor to any dish! Can’t wait to try this!
Mahy Elamin says
Delicious dish – easy and light! our favorite kind of meal! Have a nice weekend!
Taylor says
SO delicious! I just love pesto. Love the added turkey sausage too!
Lora says
Pesto adds so much flavor to so many dishes…like this tortellini!!
Allyson Zea says
I love pesto so much, I can’t wait to try this one out!
Krista says
Wow! This looks so good! I have to make it soon!
Anna says
I need to make this for dinner tonight!