Cheese Tortellini and Italian Meat Sauce
This quick assembly meal transforms your batch-cooked Italian Sauce Meat into a comforting dinner in just 15 minutes. Fresh cheese tortellini cooks in minutes while you heat the meat sauce, making this an ideal weeknight solution. The combination delivers authentic Italian flavor without the usual time investment.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Large Pot
- Colander
- Stovetop
Ingredients
Italian Meat Sauce
- 1 batch Italian Meat Sauce Base thawed
- 1 jar Marinara Sauce 24-32 oz, your favorite brand
Cheese Tortellini
- 24 oz Cheese Tortellini fresh, premade
- 1 gallon Water
- 2 tablespoon Kosher Salt Morton brand
Topping
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Combine the batch Italian Meat Sauce Base and jarred marinara in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 tablespoon kosher salt to a boil.
- Add the fresh tortellini and stir.
- Cook until all the pasta floats back to the top, 3-5 minutes depending on the brand.
- Drain the pasta.
- Toss in the colander a few times to steam off excess moisture.
Assemble
- Add the drained tortellini to the meat sauce and gently stir to coat.
- Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
The key to this dish is having your Italian Sauce Meat already prepped and frozen from a previous batch cooking session. Fresh tortellini cooks much faster than dried pasta—watch for it to float to the surface as your doneness indicator. Don't skip draining thoroughly and tossing in the colander to steam off excess moisture; this prevents watery sauce. You can substitute any short pasta shape if tortellini isn't available, though cooking times will vary. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. This meal scales easily—just add another package of tortellini and more sauce for larger crowds.
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