Mushroom-Spinach Cream Sauce over Cheese Tortellini and Italian Sausage

Ingredients

• 2 Italian sausages, removed from casings and crumbled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup finely shredded Italian cheese blend
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 (9 ounce) packages tri-colored cheese-filled tortellini

Step 1

Gently heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook it, stirring occasionally, until it’s nicely browned—this should take about 10 minutes. While the sausage cooks, heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion and garlic and sauté them until the onion becomes translucent, which usually takes around 5 minutes.

Step 2

Lower the heat a bit and add the tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, basil, salt, and pepper to the pot. Let everything come to a gentle simmer, stirring now and then to keep it from sticking. In a separate bowl, mix together the cream, milk, cheese, and flour until smooth. Pour this mixture into the pot with the veggies and stir well.

Step 3

Keep the sauce simmering and give it an occasional stir as it thickens, which should take about 15 minutes. While the sauce is reducing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook them gently until they’re tender, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta, then combine it with the sauce and sausage. Give everything a good toss and serve warm.