4 Ingredient One Pot Tortellini Skillet
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This under 30 minute, one pot Tortellini Skillet pasta recipe contains 4 simple ingredients. It’s a delicious and easy meal for busy weeknight dinners or simple weekend fixes. One pan, minutes to make, huge on delicious Italian flavor!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
Everything in this oh-so-simple one pot pasta recipe is made in a single skillet, including the tortellini.
Yay for quick and easy pasta recipes.
One Pot Tortellini Skillet
You know the phrase, “Out of the mouths of babes?” This recipe will always remind me of that poignant statement.
How often do we get to learn lessons from our kids? Perhaps some of us more than others. Whether we tell them or not is up for discussion! I’m smiling.
When our college kid came home from school and offered to cook dinner for us, I was ALL in.
It’s rare that I get a night off in the kitchen.
He made a version of this recipe and was very proud of it. I tweaked the timing and added spinach. That’s it.
Thank the Lord for our kids! They can be brilliant at times.
Tortellini Skillet: Simple Ingredients
This Tortellini Skillet requires zero prep and requires mostly pantry ingredients. No chopping, unless you want to, no precooking the pasta. It’s all done in one skillet, in under 30 minutes.
Here’s what you need to make this one pot pasta:
- Fully cooked meatballs (I’m using them straight from the freezer).
- Jar of quality marinara sauce (or homemade marinara sauce if you happen to have some)
- Fresh, uncooked tortellini
- Baby spinach leaves
Ingredient Options and Substitutions
Making recipes your own is what cooking is all about. Or, swapping in ingredients you have on hand is always a part of weeknight cooking. Here are some ingredient ideas and handy substitutions:
Marinara Sauce
Using ready-made marinara sauce in a jar makes this tortellini skillet incredibly simple to make. However, you can easily make your own, or substitute an equal amount of fire-roasted tomatoes or Italian-style canned tomatoes.
Another flavor option is to substitute beef or chicken broth for the water. A pinch of red pepper flakes goes a long way and adding any fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, rosemary or thyme is always a great idea in my book.
Meatballs
I love not worrying about precooking the meat. But, if you prefer bulk sausage and have the time, by all means, substitute it for the meatballs. Or, if you want to use uncooked meatballs, be sure to thoroughly cook them before adding the pasta.
Pasta
Not a tortellini fan? This is such a versatile recipe that it’s easy to substitute different kinds of pasta for the tortellini. Ravioli works super well and I love playing around with fillings like butternut squash, spinach, and of course, cheese too.
Greens
While I’ve used spinach in this recipe, other greens work equally well. Think kale, mustard greens, arugula, etc.
Much of the flavor of this meal comes from the sauce and the meatballs. It’s comfort food at its simplest.
How to Make One Pot Tortellini Skillet
Get ready for dinner in under 30 minutes.
- Add frozen meatballs, marinara sauce and water to a large skillet. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Uncover and stir in the uncooked tortellini. Cover the skillet and bake for another 12 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Toss in spinach leaves and mozzarella, if using, and cook until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted.
More Easy Pasta Recipes You May Also Enjoy
4 Ingredient One Pot Pasta
This under 30 minute, one pot Tortellini Skillet pasta recipe contains 4 simple ingredients. It's a delicious and easy meal for busy weeknight dinners or simple weekend fixes. One pan, minutes to make, huge on delicious Italian flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fully cooked meatballs
- 1 (16-ounce) jar marinara sauce (or homemade)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 container tortellini
- 2 cups spinach
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottom skillet stir in marinara sauce, 1 ½ cups water, and meatballs. Bring to a simmer and cook 12 minutes.
- Toss in the tortellini and gently stir them into the sauce, Be sure to fully coat the tortellini. Cover and cook on for 12 minutes more or until the tortellini is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Give the pasta a gentle stir as needed.
- Uncover and stir in the spinach and sprinkle with mozzarella if desired. Cover and cook for another minute or two until the spinach is wilted and the cheese is melted. You can also broil for a few seconds if using an oven-safe skillet.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 696mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 15g
Thanks for publishing. I had some meatballs in the freezer and tortellini in the fridge and wondered how to combine them with red sauce. My mom had mentioned water so I looked online. Your recipe worked out well. I added beef bouillon to my water and a sliced zucchini in for my vegetable. My picky 5 yr old enjoyed it. Very filling. I would have been in trouble if I hadn’t added water to the sauce. LOL
Hi Karen! Thank you so much for trying the recipe. I love your additions and am so glad you’re picky 5 year old enjoyed it! I had one of those too 😍!
You don’t say how much water or tortellini, soooo
Hi Jill, the water amount is in the recipe card Instructions. It’s 1 1/2 cups… but I’ll move that measurement up to the Ingredients section for clarity.