Tortellini Alfredo with Steak and Sausage

If you're looking for a twist on regular boring pasta night, look no further! I made this pasta one day by opening the fridge and tossing everything together. No word of a lie, this pasta will make your friends' and family's eyes roll to the back of their heads (in a good way)! Sprinkle with more cheese before serving, if you like.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 629 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 (6 ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 3 cups chopped spinach
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
• 3 (16 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 (12 ounce) package bulk Italian sausage
• 1 (8 ounce) beef short loin steak, diced
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place peppers with cut sides down onto the prepared baking sheet.

Step 2

Cook under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place blackened peppers into a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil; stir in tortellini and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tortellini float to the top and the filling is hot, about 3 minutes.

Step 4

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and steak; cook and stir until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon basil and 2 teaspoons thyme. Add spinach, mushrooms, and 1 clove garlic; cook until mushrooms are softened and sausage is no longer pink, about 5 minutes more.

Step 5

Remove and discard skins from the cooled peppers; mince the flesh. Melt butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add peppers, remaining garlic, and cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and remaining basil and thyme.

Step 6

Mix sausage into the sausage and steak mixture. Toss in drained tortellini.