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This One Pot Creamy Kielbasa Tortellini is smothered in a light cheddar cheese sauce and takes less than 30 minutes to make. Even picky eaters love it!
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted a recipe for a one dish meal, and that’s been way too long! I think I may be slightly addicted to these easy dinners, but they get the job done. Now that the kids are back in school, my energy level is at zero by dinnertime. And with homework, there’s not a lot of time to spend washing dishes, so these one-dish wonders, as the Hubs calls them, are perfect!
I usually make these meals with chicken or beef, but this time I wanted something completely different. I grew up eating kielbasa, or Polish sausage, but we don’t have it that often. And when we do have it, I usually make it with fried potatoes, or with haluski, or I serve it like a hot dog, in a bun. The kids like it though, and since it’s already cooked, it doesn’t take long at all to make.
If you’re a Polish sausage fan, you might like these quick and easy kielbasa recipes
- Polish Sausage Dogs
- Kielbasa Sauerkraut Sliders
- Kielbasa and Haluski
- Sheet Pan BBQ Smoked Sausage
- Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage Dinner
So the other day, my little guy asked for chicken tortellini, and since I had made that earlier in the week, I decided to combine kielbasa with the tortellini and see how the family liked it. I made this one pot creamy kielbasa tortellini — an easy dinner recipe!
Tortellini needs a creamy sauce, and since cheddar cheese goes so well with kielbasa, I made a light creamy cheddar cheese sauce to coat the pasta and meat. I also added some frozen peas and a dash of fresh parsley to add a little more color to the dish.
I love using onions and garlic, and I usually use fresh. But, we were in a time crunch, so I opted to use dried onions and garlic, instead. If you have some extra time, by all means use the fresh. But there’s nothing wrong with using dried spices!
My family is divided about cheese. Some love it, and some don’t. The first time I made this one pot kielbasa tortellini skillet, I used about 3 cups of cheese, and some folks said that was way too cheesy. Of course, the cheese lovers thought it was just right!
This time, I only added 2 cups of cheddar cheese, and it was creamier, but just a tad less cheesy. Everyone loved it though, and there were no complaints. It’s creamy, slightly smoky, cheesy and just a wonderfully satisfying meal.
And because you cook it all in one pot, clean up is super easy, as well! Happy mom, happy life, right?
New! If you have an Instant Pot, try Instant Pot creamy kielbasa tortellini!
How to Make One Pot Creamy Kielbasa Tortellini
One Pot Creamy Kielbasa Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 pound kielbasa thinly sliced
- 2 cups water
- 1 20-ounce package of cheese tortellini
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the kielbasa until warm
- Add the tortellini, water, onions, paprika and garlic powder
- Cover, and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until tortellini is almost done
- Stir in the peas
- Uncover to let liquids reduce. Reduce heat to medium low, and stir in the mustard, cream and cheddar cheese
- When cheese melts, top with chopped parsley, if using, and serve
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Have a wonderful day, friends!
Sharing at
Weekend Potluck, TT&J
Oh Man was this good! Just made it on a whim. I was looking through my fridge and freezer, Google recipes for cheese tortalini and keilbasa and came across this. It looked so good and I had everything for it. Really glad I did. Everyone loved it. Thanks.
Thanks, Chrissy. I’m glad you liked the recipe!
I noticed the amount of servings, but, what is a serving?
Probably around a cup and a half. We double the kielbasa sometimes to make more if needed.
Definitely in the rotation now. Kids love it!
Thank you so much, Holly! I’m glad everyone liked it!
Great one pan meal! So easy and delicious!
Thanks, Kathy! I’m so glad you liked it!
Made this for my family and it was delicious! Thanks
Thanks, Eric! So glad everyone liked it!
Great receipe! Any suggestions on how to adapt it for a crock pot? Have a newborn and trying to simplify…
Congrats! So sorry, but I have never tried making this in the Crock-Pot.
This was yummy! I used chicken broth instead of water, I also chopped a green pepper and onion. Anytime I make a new dish and the hubby love’s it I absolutely makes my heart heart smile. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us all.
I am SO happy to hear this, Samantha! Thanks so much!
I made this tonight and it’s amazing. So easy. I recommend bringing everything to a boil when you add the cheese. Helps it melt consistently and thicken up the sauce. I will be making this regularly!
Absolutely delightful and so flavorful and quick for a weeknight fix😉 I really enjoyed this, and will make it again. Thank you so much for taking the time to share it with the world! I’m grateful!
So happy you liked it, Chris! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Can you use a can of Beer instead of water to cook your Kielbasa’s. My uncle uses beer to cook his kielbassa. I don’t want to ruin it but I’m not sure if it would add more flavor.
I haven’t used beer with this type of recipe, but you could try it. 🙂