This easy creamy tomato and spinach tortelloni is one of my favourite quick pasta recipes. I’ve used store-bought fresh tomato and mozzarella tortelloni, which cook in just a few minutes and have a gorgeous silky texture.The sauce is packed with flavour from sundried tomatoes, garlic, and tinned tomatoes, with a splash of cream to bring everything together. It’s a simple weeknight dinner that feels a little bit special. Think marry-me-sauce meets cheesy-filled pasta. And tortelloni, with its generous ratio of filling to pasta, is now my favourite shape.
You can use ravioli or tortellini too, but the looser fold of tortelloni makes it perfect for catching all that velvety sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and convenient: Using fresh store-bought pasta saves time and still delivers on flavour.
- Rich and creamy: The combination of sundried tomatoes and cream creates a deeply savoury, velvety sauce.
- Balanced: Spinach and basil add a fresh element to cut through the richness.
- Flexible: Swap the filling or pasta type according to what you have on hand.
Ingredient Tips and Swaps
- Tortelloni: Any cheese-filled fresh pasta works. Choose one with a mild cheese, such as ricotta or mozzarella. I purchased it from Woolworths.
- Sundried tomatoes: Look for ones in vinaigrette or oil. They give a deeper, savoury flavour.
- Tinned tomatoes: Use chopped or crushed tomatoes. Whole, peeled will also work. You’ll just need to chop them up or crush them before hand.
- Cream: Either single cream or whipping cream works well.
- Basil and spinach: Add these just before the cream to keep their freshness and green colour..
What to Serve with Tortelloni
- A crisp green salad with a punchy vinaigrette.
- Garlic bread or focaccia to mop up any extra sauce.
- A glass of light red wine like Pinot Noir or a chilled Italian white.
- 500 grams of fresh tomato and mozzarella tortelloni I used Woolworths
- 30 grams salted butter
- 1 brown onion or 2 large shallots finely chopped
- 5 – 6 sundried tomatoes in vinaigrette chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 3 – 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 400 gram tins of chopped peeled tomatoes
- A small handful of basil leaves roughly chopped
- 80 -100 grams of baby spinach leaves roughly chopped
- 250 ml fresh single or whipping cream 1 cup
- Grated Parmesan cheese to serve
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Heat a large frying pan or wide-based casserole over medium heat. Melt the butter, then sauté the onion or shallot for about 5 minutes until soft.
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Add the sundried tomatoes and garlic, cooking for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
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Add the tinned tomatoes. Swish out each tin with a splash of water (half a tin) and add that to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
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Simmer gently for 20 – 30 minutes, partially covered with a lid to reduce splatter and preserve moisture.
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While the sauce cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the tortelloni for 3–4 minutes or according to the packet instructions, then drain. Drizzle with olive oil if not using immediately.
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Once the tomato sauce is cooked, stir in the basil and spinach and let it wilt for a minute.
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Pour in the cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
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Add the tortelloni and gently stir to coat. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan.
This pasta is best served fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or cream. The tortelloni will absorb some sauce as it sits, so loosen it up before serving.
A few of my other favourite pasta dishes:
Tortellini with Italian sausage meatball bake with spinach
Meatball & spinach ravioli bake
Creamy chicken with ravioli & spinach
spinach & ricotta cannelloni bake
How to make perfect pasta alla Norma
pasta with broccoli, anchovies and garlic
My best pasta recipes
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