Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini with Chicken Meatballs

Jun 12

Written By Ginna

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes • 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes

The Trader Joe’s roasted red pepper soup works really well as a pasta sauce once it cooks down a bit. The tortellini absorbs some of the liquid as it cooks, so it turns into a creamy roasted red pepper coating instead of being a soup. Add air fried chicken meatballs, ricotta, basil, and spinach and it feels like a full comfort meal with very little effort.

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*Cheese tortellini tossed in creamy roasted red pepper sauce with chicken meatballs, ricotta, basil, spinach, and red pepper flakes.*

The Trader Joe’s chicken meatballs are my favorite for this because they crisp up nicely in the air fryer while everything else cooks. They also keep the dish from feeling too heavy, especially with the creamy ricotta on top. If you prefer beef or pork meatballs though, frozen ones work great too.

I also really like how the ricotta melts into the warm tortellini once you mix everything together. It makes the sauce creamier without needing heavy cream or extra cheese in the pot. The fresh basil and red pepper flakes brighten it up and keep the whole thing balanced.

This is the kind of dinner I make on busy nights when I want something warm and filling but do not want a sink full of dishes afterward. Everything comes together in about 15 minutes and there is no prep ahead of time.

Ingredients

🍽️ Servings: 2 • 🔥 Calories/Serving: 620 • 💪 Protein/Serving: 29g

1 container Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
1 package Trader Joe’s cheese tortellini
10-12 Trader Joe’s chicken meatballs
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Steps

Step 1

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Add the chicken meatballs and cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until browned and heated through.

Step 2

Pour the roasted red pepper soup into a pot over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle simmer.

Step 3

Add the tortellini directly into the sauce and cook according to the package instructions, stirring occasionally so the tortellini does not stick together.

Step 4

Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. The tortellini will absorb some of the sauce as it cooks, making everything thicker and creamier.

Step 5

Add the cooked chicken meatballs and gently toss everything together until coated and warmed through.

Step 6

Spoon into bowls and top with ricotta, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes before serving.

Make it your own!

🌶️ Add more heat
Stir calabrian chili paste into the sauce or use spicy chicken meatballs for a little extra kick.
🥬 Swap the spinach
Kale works well too if you want something a little heartier.
🧀 Try a different pasta
Spinach and ricotta tortellini is especially good with the roasted red pepper sauce.
🍖 Use different meatballs
Frozen beef or pork meatballs work great here too if that is what you already have on hand.