Baked Tortellini with Italian Sausage

1. 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 filling is hot, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir Italian sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into bite-sized pieces as it cooks. Drain and discard grease, but do not rinse or clean the skillet. Place cooked sausage into a 9x13-inch baking dish.

4. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until slightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bell peppers, zucchini, and squash; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in diced tomatoes, Neufchatel cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat until combined and smooth, about 5 minutes.

5. Pour cooked tortellini into the baking dish with sausage. Add vegetable mixture and stir gently to combine. Drizzle with marinara sauce; top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

If tortellini have been cooked and refrigerated in advance, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (180 degrees C) and increase the bake time to 40 to 45 minutes. This time and temperature are also ideal if you would like to prepare all ingredients in the baking dish to refrigerate, then place in the oven before dinner time.

Omit one can of tomatoes for a creamier taste. Additional cream cheese could also be added. The seasonings in the sausage will be a huge factor in the flavor of this dish, so buy a quality brand and bear in mind that the spiciness will be tempered by the cream sauce and pasta if you decide on a hot variety. Another type of filled pasta could be substituted for the tortellini, and vegetables can be substituted for preference or in-season produce. I do recommend keeping the bell peppers and using red, orange, or yellow for sweetness.