Tortellini Alfredo is a tasty cheesy pasta in a rich and creamy sauce. Fresh spinach and tomatoes are perfectly paired with the lush sauce for a decadently delicious meal.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy tortellini alfredo is a comforting family meal ready in no time.
- This is such an easy recipe for busy weeknights.
- Adding in fresh spinach and tomatoes is a nice balance to the tortellini.
- Another big plus, this pasta dinner only takes about 25 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- Cheese Tortellini - is what we use for this recipe. A meat-filled pasta can be used but the recipe will no longer be Vegetarian. I love fresh cheese tortellini for this recipe but frozen can be used as well.
- Grape Tomatoes - So affordable and always available so they are a perfect addition to this recipe. You can also use a Roma or vine-ripe tomato, just dice them up.
- Fresh Spinach - Rounds out the meal with some fresh spinach. If using frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze it out to drain excess liquid.
- Unsalted butter - adds depth to the homemade alfredo sauce.
- all-purpose flour - this will thicken the sauce.
- heavy cream - Adds flavor and liquid to the sauce.
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Equipment
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Prepare the tortellini according to the package directions.
- To make the sauce, melt butter in a large skillet pan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook 30 seconds stirring constantly.
- Add garlic. Sauté until flour and garlic are golden brown, about 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream and milk, whisk well. Cook stirring constantly until mixture simmers and thickens slightly. This can take about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The cheese will melt into the sauce.
- Remove the sauce from the heat, cover, keep warm.
- In a separate pan, sauté onions, add in the tomatoes, stir in the spinach to wilt. Add in the cooked tortellini.
- Mix in the Alfredo sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Storage
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days in a covered airtight container. Reheat in the microwave, following manufacturer's instructions.
For the stovetop, I always add a little water to the pot with the leftovers and heat over a simmer until warm.
This is a quick recipe to prepare, however, you can freeze it. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop as I explained right above.
Expert Tips
Expert Tip: When cooking the tortellini, be sure to use a large pot of salted water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tortellini is a small round pasta stuffed with various ingredients including cheese, cooked ground beef, or ground sausage.
When purchasing tortellini, the package usually comes with instructions but normally, the pasta is added to boiling water. The water will need to come back to a boil over medium-high heat, then the heat is reduced to medium and the tortellini cooks about 10 minutes until tender. Then it is drained in a colander before eating.
Stuffed pasta, such as tortellini will come to the top of the pot and float when cooking is complete.
Variations
- If looking for a non-vegetarian option, before adding the onions and tomatoes, add in some boneless chicken strips. Saute for about 7-8 minutes to cook them through. Then continue with adding the onions.
- Cooked sausage will also pair well with those who are not Vegetarians.
- In lieu of spinach, baby kale or escarole are all great choices.
- Sun-dried tomatoes are a great add-in to this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Tortellini Alfredo is a delicious dinner on its own. If you are like my family, we love a simple salad when we have a hearty pasta recipe. These are some of our favorites:
A simple Arugula Salad is a perfect pairing for a side dish to the tortellini.
Another great choice is a heartier, Apple Walnut Salad, with a magnificent vinaigrette.
Caesar Salad is also a wonderful choice for this creamy pasta dinner.
This easy Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette would be another simple and delicious side dish to enjoy.
Garlic Bread is another great side to dip into the creamy alfredo sauce, yum.
Similar recipes
Some other pasta dishes you can enjoy are this delicious Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta recipe, it's delish.
Brown Butter Scallops and Pasta, another elegant and easy dinner recipe. White Clam Sauce over Linguine, a quick and fantastic dinner.
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Spinach Tomato Tortellini Alfredo
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
Alfredo Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup whole milk 2% milk can be used
- 1½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded Note 1
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the pasta
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook the cheese tortellini according to the instructions while you make the sauce. Once cooked, set aside until ready to add to the onions, tomatoes, and spinach below.
For the Alfredo Sauce
- Melt butter in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 30 seconds stirring constantly.
- Add garlic and sauté until flour and garlic are golden brown, about 30 seconds more.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream and milk, whisk well. Cook stirring constantly until mixture simmers and thickens slightly. This can take about 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The cheese will melt into the sauce. Taste, if needed, adjust seasoning.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Cover the sauce and keep warm until the pasta skillet is ready.
For the Pasta
- Heat olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté another 1-2 minutes. Tomatoes will soften and release some of their juices.
- To the skillet, add the baby spinach, cook another minute, spinach will wilt.
- Add the cooked cheese tortellini to the skillet.
- Pour the prepared Alfredo sauce over the pasta, stir well and remove from heat. Serve warm with optional chopped parsley and additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
NOTES
- If looking for a non-vegetarian option, before adding the onions and tomatoes, add in some boneless chicken strips. They will take about 7-8 minutes to cook.
- Cooked sausage will also pair well with those who are not Vegetarians.
- In lieu of spinach, arugula, baby kale, or escarole are all great choices.
- Sun-dried tomatoes are a great add in for this recipe.
