Sausage and Kale Tortellini Bake 

On a chilly night when you’re craving a cozy and easy dinner recipe, this Sausage and Kale Tortellini Bake is sure to be a family favorite.

I am all about a simple skillet dinner, especially during busy school weeknights. On nights when I need to get dinner on the table quickly, I love turning to this recipe that is not only simple to make but also requires only a few fresh ingredients. It uses my favorite shortcut ingredient — fresh cheese tortellini — which adds heft and creaminess to the skillet. I also love to use Italian sausage, which has so much flavor, but you could use any type of ground meat such as beef, pork, or turkey.

ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Italian Sausage
• Yellow Onion
• Lacinato Kale
• Marinara Sauce
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• Lemon Zest
• Lemon Juice
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Fresh Cheese Tortellini
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Fresh Basil
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)

step-by-step:

Step one: preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 375℉.

step two: Brown the Sausage and Sauté the Kale

Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and onions and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a wooden spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off excess fat.

step three: add the kale

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped kale, cook, stirring, until it has slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.

step four: simmer the sauce

Add the marinara, broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes.

step five: cover with cheese and bake

Once simmering, remove from the heat and add the tortellini. Gently stir to combine and spread into an even layer in the skillet. Top with the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the tortellini is tender and the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

step six: rest, garnish, and serve!

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Enjoy!

recipe faqs:

I can’t wait to hear what you and your families think of this Sausage and Kale Tortellini Bake! Tag me on social @thedefineddish so I can see your final dish!

want more cozy pasta recipes? try these!

One-Pan Italian Sausage and Orzo

Skillet Pizza Penne

Pesto Unstuffed Shells

Oven-Roasted Shrimp Scampi

4.97 from 29 votes

Sausage and Kale Tortellini Bake

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound Italian sausage
• ▢ 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
• ▢ 4 cups roughly chopped lacinato kale (from about 1/2 bunch)
• ▢ 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
• ▢ 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• ▢ zest of 1/2 lemon
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 16 ounces fresh cheese tortellini
• ▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For Serving:

• ▢ fresh basil
• ▢ crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375℉.
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and onion and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a wooden spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped kale and cook, stirring, until it has slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Add the marinara, broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
• Once simmering, remove from the heat and add the tortellini. Gently stir to combine and spread into an even layer in the skillet. Top with the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the tortellini is tender and the cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 920kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 59g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 151mg, Sodium: 2101mg, Potassium: 473mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2291IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 388mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Alex Snodgrass

Servings: 4

Calories: 920

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Photography by Eat Love Eats.